Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) told reporters the vote to elect a new House speaker could last for days just moments after the Republican leader failed to garner enough support to clinch the speakership during the first round of roll call votes on Tuesday.
McCarthy asked just now about possibility speaker’s race last for days: “it could”
— Jordain Carney (@jordainc) January 3, 2023
Nineteen Republicans voted against McCarthy on the roll call vote, bringing him far below the 218 majority threshold needed to secure the speaker’s gavel as party defectors threw their support behind other conservative lawmakers. The House will continue to go through roll call votes until a lawmaker garners the majority of the chamber, which could take hours, or days, to complete.
HOUSE SPEAKER VOTE: THE REPUBLICANS WHO REFUSED TO SUPPORT KEVIN MCCARTHY
McCarthy’s failure to clinch the speakership during the roll call vote on Tuesday marks the first time a lawmaker has failed to clinch the leadership position since 1923, when it took nine ballots for Frederick Gillett to obtain the speakership. However, McCarthy’s defeat was not surprising, as the House Republican acknowledged he’d likely lose on the first round and vowed to go through as many roll call votes as necessary to secure the seat.
“If what’s holding up today is simply about a few members who want something they haven’t earned, we can’t give in to that,” McCarthy said before the roll call vote. “We have to be strong.”
At the end of the first ballot on Tuesday, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), leader of the Democratic caucus, received 212 votes, while McCarthy received 203. A handful of other Republicans also received votes, including Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) with 10, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) with six, and Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), and former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) and Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) each with one.
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Democratic leaders have vowed all their party members will be present on the floor to vote against McCarthy in each round of voting — ensuring that they don’t do the Republican leader any favors.
It is possible Republicans will choose to adjourn the meeting until a future date if no House speaker is elected after hours of voting. However, that could spell trouble for Republicans as it would delay the party from establishing new committees or passing legislation.
