The 11th vote for House speaker is underway, outstripping the nine votes it took the last time an election went past one ballot in 1923.
Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) again failed to win in the 10th round as 20 conservative hard-liners are still dug in against him. He and his allies have kept up negotiations throughout the day and may be getting closer to an agreement.
MCCARTHY ALLIES SAY 20 GOP DETRACTORS ARE HOLDING PARTY ‘HOSTAGE’
Rep. French Hill (R-AR) began the vote with a nominating speech on McCarthy’s behalf, and in a first, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) nominated former President Donald Trump. The last time there were 11 votes for speaker was 1839, before the Civil War.
Where we stand in history: Here are the other 14 House Speaker elections that went to multiple ballots, per House historian’s office. https://t.co/elXE8fyqcn pic.twitter.com/GTLXFeKeoq
— Emily Brooks (@emilybrooksnews) January 5, 2023
The votes against McCarthy had been split between Reps. Byron Donalds (R-FL ) and Kevin Hern (R-OK), but the latter picked up votes in the latest round. Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO), who reportedly had to leave for a medical procedure, did not vote in the last couple of ballots Thursday, thus lowering McCarty’s total to 200.
Hard-line Republicans have been giving the nominating speech for Hern, who chairs the Republican Study Committee, and in the 10th round, more lawmakers backed him. Hern continues to vote for McCarthy.
“I sat in my chair anticipating to vote for Byron Donalds, whom I respect, whom I see as a leader, and there was a gut check that said we need someone that is going to convince my colleagues on this side of the aisle that it’s time to get going, it’s time to build momentum,” Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) said in first nominating Hern, adding that McCarthy “is not going to get there.”
The negotiations may take another day, and Democrats are whipping against adjourning in an effort to exhaust the GOP. The vote Wednesday night to push the next vote until Thursday nearly failed when four of the rebel GOP lawmakers joined with them.
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Though McCarthy has made numerous concessions to the group, including allowing one member to force a vote to oust a sitting speaker, placing more conservative hard-liners on the House Rules Committee, promising votes on key bills, and not spending in safe Republican primaries, a few of the holdouts, who include Boebert and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), remain unswayed. Another group that includes Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Dan Bishop (R-NC) say they could be convinced if more of their demands are met.
