Republicans in the House of Representatives on Tuesday failed to block a measure that would oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., from his leadership position.

Eleven Republicans joined with Democrats to kill a motion to table the resolution brought by far-right Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, one of McCarthy's harshest critics, setting up a vote to oust the California Republican.

"Chaos is Speaker McCarthy," Gaetz said as the chamber opened up debate after the vote. "Chaos is somebody who we cannot trust with their word.”

McCarthy's supporters staunchly stood behind him, singing his praises as they implored their fellow Republicans not to vote for his ouster.

"This Republican majority has exceeded all expectation," New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, the No. 3 House Republican, said on the floor. "The Republicans strongly support Kevin McCarthy and are proud he is our speaker."

"If Speaker McCarthy has exceeded expectations, then we definitely need higher expectations," Gaetz fired back, to laughter.

Louisiana Rep. Garret Graves called McCarthy "the greatest speaker in modern history" while condemning lawmakers fundraising on the motion to oust the California Republican: "It’s disgusting, it’s what’s disgusting about Washington."

With a razor-thin majority, it would take just a few Republicans voting with every present Democrat in the chamber to out the California Republican from the speakership. But McCarthy, defiant, said that he would not give up any concessions to his opposition party to stay in power.

"They haven't asked for anything and I'm not going to provide anything," McCarthy told CNBC on Tuesday morning before taking a cue from former House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi who, as a member of the minority party, told Republican speakers in the majority that she did not believe in votes to save the opposition's leader.

"She would always come in and she told [John] Boehner and Paul [Ryan] ... that she would always vote it down not based upon saving an individual but based upon what’s good for government, what’s good for the institution as a whole," McCarthy said.

Democrats emerged from a closed-door meeting of their conference earlier Tuesday saying that they would not vote to save McCarthy.

McCarthy told reporters Tuesday that he was not expecting Democrats to support him, but when asked if he needed their help to retain the gavel, he offered a sober assessment: "If five Republicans go with Democrats, then I'm out."

When a reporter told him that looked likely, he replied: "Probably so."

"And that’s what the question has to be: Are we now in a situation in our government that – we just provided keeping the government open – that we’re going to play politics with how you become speaker?” he continued. “If that’s the case, then I think we’ve got real problems.”

Gaetz is an ally of former President Donald Trump, who on Tuesday posed a question about the speakership vote on his Truth Social platform: "Why is it that Republicans are always fighting among themselves, why aren’t they fighting the Radical Left Democrats who are destroying our Country?"

On Monday, Gaetz accused McCarthy of striking a “secret side deal” with Democrats on funding for Ukraine before Congress passed a stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown. In those floor remarks, he did not call for a vote to remove McCarthy as speaker, as he has repeatedly threatened, but he suggested such a motion was still likely.

Congress passed an 11th-hour bill Saturday night to fund the government at current spending levels for 45 days. It also added money for disaster relief but did not provide additional assistance for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

“What was the secret side deal on Ukraine?” Gaetz, who vehemently opposes aid for the country, asked during his speech.

The Florida congressman pointed to comments Sunday by President Joe Biden, who said Republicans promised to hold a separate vote on Ukraine funding.

“I fully expect the speaker to keep his commitment for the secure passage and support needed to help Ukraine as they defend themselves against aggression and brutality,” Biden said in a White House speech. 

Gaetz was one of 90 House Republicans to vote against the measure. He said Sunday he plans to file a motion to oust McCarthy as speaker this week after McCarthy worked with Democrats to pass the short-term spending bill.

“So let me get this straight: To extend Joe Biden’s spending and Joe Biden’s policy priorities, the speaker of the House gave away to Joe Biden the money for Ukraine that Joe Biden wanted,” Gaetz said Monday. 

“It is going to be difficult for my Republican friends to keep calling President Biden feeble while he continues to take speaker McCarthy's lunch money in every negotiation,” Gaetz continued.

McCarthy said Sunday on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” that he supports funding for Ukraine but indicated he will try to tie it to border security measures.

Gaetz argued that McCarthy’s comment “confirms the existence of a secret deal.” The Florida Republican called on the speaker to disclose “what commitments were made to President Biden.”

“Mr. Speaker, I would ask that these questions be answered soon because there may be other votes coming today or later this week that could be implicated by the answers to these questions,” Gaetz said. “Members of the Republican Party might vote differently on a motion to vacate.”

“There is no side deal, so I don’t know who is bringing that up,” McCarthy said to reporters on Monday. “There is no side deal on Ukraine.”

Outside the Capitol earlier Monday, Gaetz said he plans to continue issuing motions to vacate until McCarthy is gone.

"Like I’ve said, it took Speaker McCarthy 15 votes to become the speaker," the Florida congressman said. "So until I get to 14 or 15, I don’t think I’m being any more dilatory."

Under an agreement with House Republicans before he was elected speaker in January, McCarthy agreed to allow a single member of the chamber to make a motion to remove him as speaker, with which Gaetz has repeatedly threatened McCarthy. 

The speaker said Sunday he believes he’d survive a vote to oust him.

“This is personal with Matt,” McCarthy told “Face the Nation.” “Matt voted against the most conservative ability to protect our border, secure our border. He’s more interested in securing TV interviews than doing something.”