Kevin McCarthy will officially leave Congress on Dec. 31, Matt Gaetz declares victory

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is set to officially leave Congress on Dec. 31, and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) will officially have won his feud with McCarthy.

McCarthy was ousted as speaker in October after breaking promises made to hardline conservatives in the House.

It was Gaetz to whom McCarthy made promises in order to win the speakership originally. After he broke those promises, Gaetz filed a privileged resolution and, with the Democrat Party's support, removed McCarthy.

Now McCarthy's political career is seemingly over, and he is leaving Congress, while Gaetz has emerged as a real power player, albeit a highly divisive one.

Gaetz has many detractors and powerful enemies in the Republican Party now, but his willingness to punish McCarthy for broken promises has made him allies with American conservatives.

Regardless, this Christmas, Gaetz is celebrating while McCarthy spends his last days in Congress and possibly his last days in any real position of power.