In a stunning turn of events, Congressman Matt Gaetz, a hard-right Republican from Florida, has filed a motion to remove Kevin McCarthy from his position as House speaker. The vote on this motion is expected to take place on Tuesday afternoon, as McCarthy's grip on power appears to be slipping away.

Gaetz's motion to vacate comes as a result of his outrage over McCarthy's bipartisan efforts to avoid a government shutdown over the weekend. McCarthy narrowly avoided a partial government shutdown by passing a bill that received more support from Democrats than Republicans, a move that did not sit well with Gaetz and other far-right lawmakers.

The bill in question was a stopgap spending bill that extended government funding through November 17th, effectively averting a shutdown that could have had serious consequences for hundreds of thousands of federal workers. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan majorities in both the House and the Senate before being signed into law by President Joe Biden on Saturday evening.

While McCarthy may have successfully avoided a government shutdown, his actions have clearly ruffled feathers within his own party. Gaetz's motion to remove him as speaker reflects the discontent among hardline Republicans who feel that McCarthy has betrayed conservative principles by working with Democrats.

In response to Gaetz's motion, McCarthy has confirmed that the House will vote on Tuesday afternoon to decide whether he will remain speaker. Despite expressing confidence that he will prevail, McCarthy's fate hangs in the balance. If five Republicans join all of the Democrats in voting against him, McCarthy will be removed from his position.

The process of removing McCarthy as speaker begins with a vote on whether to table Gaetz's resolution, known as a motion to vacate the chair. If this vote is successful, McCarthy will retain his position. However, if it fails, a vote on the motion to vacate the chair will follow. If the majority of members present support the motion, McCarthy will be ousted, and a new speaker will need to be chosen.

Gaetz's campaign against McCarthy is not without history. He has consistently opposed McCarthy's speakership and played a role in the lengthy process of electing him as speaker, which took a record 15 rounds of voting. McCarthy's agreement to a condition allowing for the motion to oust the speaker was seen as a way to appease far-right Republicans, but it has now come back to haunt him.

McCarthy, for his part, has dismissed Gaetz's challenge as "personal," accusing him of being more interested in securing TV interviews than in serving the interests of the party. The animosity between the two lawmakers underscores the deep divisions within the Republican Party and the ongoing struggle for control of its direction.

As the House prepares for this pivotal vote, all eyes are on the outcome, which could have significant implications for the future of the Republican Party and its leadership. The tension between the hard-right and more moderate factions of the party is reaching a boiling point, and the result of this vote could have far-reaching consequences for the balance of power within the GOP.