A new book by Kevin McCarthy’s former floor aide offers fresh details about one of the most dramatic moments in recent House history: when Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama appeared to lunge at fellow Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida during the contentious 2023 speaker election.
In the 14th round of voting to elect a new House speaker on January 6, 2023, Rogers approached Gaetz on the chamber floor and shouted, “Matt, I won’t forget this. You hear me?” according to John Leganski’s book “Glory, Grief, and the Gavel.” At that instant, Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina clawed at Rogers’ face and pulled him back by his shoulders, preventing a televised confrontation in the middle of a congressional session.
The altercation erupted after Gaetz voted “present” on the 14th ballot, refusing to support McCarthy’s bid for speaker. Gaetz was one of six far-right Republicans demanding concessions from McCarthy in exchange for their support. Earlier that day, Gaetz had demanded to chair a subcommittee on the Armed Services Committee—a position Rogers was in line to hold.
When McCarthy urged Gaetz to help him “over the finish line” so members could return home, Gaetz responded coldly, according to Leganski’s account. “I don’t think you understand,” Gaetz said. “That does not concern me whatsoever. Personal appeals have no effect on me.”
The incident came after more than a dozen failed votes in one of the most protracted and divisive House speaker elections in decades. The standoff lasted four days, during which McCarthy’s team refused Gaetz’s request to adjourn and reconvene after the weekend, fearing that delays would allow new obstacles to emerge.
In the aftermath of the confrontation, Rogers apologized. “I regret that I briefly lost my temper on the House Floor Friday evening and appreciate Matt’s kind understanding,” he wrote on social media two days later. Gaetz offered his forgiveness the same day. McCarthy was ultimately elected speaker on the 15th vote later that night.
Leganski, who worked his way up in McCarthy’s office from intern to deputy chief of staff for floor operations over a decade, sat by McCarthy’s side for the final tally that won him the gavel. His book, due to be released June 23, 2026, pulls back the curtain on the inner workings of Congress and the personal feuds that shaped the speaker election. The 256-page volume offers what Leganski describes as a rare, unfettered account of what it takes to become speaker of the House.
Sources
- CBS News — detailed account of the Rogers-Gaetz confrontation and quotes from Leganski’s book “Glory, Grief, and the Gavel”
- NBC News — Rogers’ apology and resolution with Gaetz
- Skyhorse Publishing — book publication details and release date
