Congressman, ousted House Speaker McCarthy to resign from Congress at year's end

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Wednesday that he will resign from Congress at the end of the year. 

The California Republican made the announcement in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, under the subtitle: "I'm leaving the House but not the fight."

McCarthy became the first House speaker in U.S. history to ever be removed from the leadership position when eight Republicans sided with Democrats to vote McCarthy out in early October. Louisiana GOP Rep. Mike Johnson was elected speaker later that month following a tumultuous battle for the position.

"I will continue to recruit our country’s best and brightest to run for elected office. The Republican Party is expanding every day, and I am committed to lending my experience to support the next generation of leaders," McCarthy wrote in the Journal.

If he stayed in office, McCarthy would have faced a Republican primary challenge for his seat, which he has held since 2006. 

Vaguely hinting toward his future plans, McCarthy wrote in the op-ed: "I look forward to helping entrepreneurs and risk-takers reach their full potential. The challenges we face are more likely to be solved by innovation than legislation."

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