Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina is the leader of the House, at least for now

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Now that Kevin McCarthy is out of his job as House speaker, one of his top lieutenants is presiding over the chamber while the chamber figures out who will be the next leader. North Carolina GOP Rep. Patrick McHenry took the gavel after Tuesday’s historic vote to oust McCarthy. According to House rules, he was named essentially the acting speaker. McHenry is in his 10th term in Congress. McHenry had worked to help McCarthy win the speaker’s contest in January and negotiate the debt limit deal that McCarthy made with President Joe Biden. He’s also currently the House Financial Services Committee chairman.