Kevin McCarthy loses sixth vote in House speaker bid, as chamber adjourns
The chaos on Capitol Hill is set to continue for a fourth day as the Republican party remains at war over who to elect as the next speaker of the House of Representatives.
Kevin McCarthy failed to secure enough votes during multiple roll call votes this week, prompting Congress to adjourn multiple times for negotiations.
As of late Thursday, the California Republican had lost 11 successive ballot counts. The House has adjourned for the night, so a potential 12th vote is on the horizon tomorrow.
Mr McCarthy told Punchbowl Newshe wasn’t going to put a “timeline” on his candidacy, but that he was confident he would be successful.
“We’ve got some progress going on,” he said. “Members are talking.”
The GOP House leader reportedly offered to make key concessions on Wednesday night including agreeing to a proposed rule change on how to oust a sitting speaker in the hope he could secure 218 votes to get him over the line.
However, a group of far-right Republicans are refusing to back him. Dubbed the “Never Kevins”, the group includes the likes of Lauren Boebert and Matt Gaetz who told reporters that the stalemate will not end with Mr McCarthy as speaker.
Despite rumouers of a backroom deal that would appease the Never Kevins, Ms Boebert told Politico on Thursday she hadn’t been involved in any negotiations.
Watch the proceedings live here.
Congresswoman evokes ‘day 3 vibes’ and carries her dog to House floor as Speaker crisis drags on
Representative Nancy Mace from South Carolina was photographed carrying her dog Libby to the House of Representatives chamber as the vote to choose a new speaker dragged on for the third day.
When asked by a reporter whether “pups are allowed on the House floor”, she responded by saying that “there are no rules right now”.
Sravasti Dasgupta6 January 2023 09:15
From laughing to cringing: The most memorable images of three days of House speaker votes
With C-SPAN providing an unfiltered live feed of all the action on the floor of the House of Representatives as the votes continue to name a speaker, audiences have been treated to an interesting insight into how Congress functions – or dysfunctions, as the case may be.
Usually, congressional rules dictate what cameras can and cannot show, but with no representatives sworn in there are no such rules.
There have been some memorable still images captured by photographers present in the chamber as lawmakers have laughed, cringed, appeared frustrated and huddled in tense negotiation between ballots as Kevin McCarthy suffered defeat after defeat.
Here are some of the best images to emerge so far:
Oliver O’Connell6 January 2023 08:45
McCarthy defiant despite 11th humiliating defeat: ‘It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish’
Kevin McCarthy rang in a defiant tone after a seventh consecutive defeat in his bid to become House speaker as he said it was fine if some processes “take a little longer” and don’t “meet your deadline”.
The House on Thursday adjourned for the third time in as many days with a stalemate.
Despite this, Mr McCarthy told reporters after the adjournment that “if this takes a little longer and it doesn’t meet your deadline that’s okay. Because it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” He added: “If we finish well, we’ll be very successful.”
Maroosha Muzaffar reports:
Sravasti Dasgupta6 January 2023 08:15
Watch: Jeanine Pirro says GOP holdouts making party look ridiculous
Oliver O’Connell6 January 2023 07:45
ICYMI: Viral clip showing George Santos all alone in House chamber
George Santos was isolated by an obvious cloud of political toxicity on Tuesday as the embattled congressman-elect appeared on the House floor to vote in the election for speaker of the House.
Videos and photos showed the New York Republican sitting alone, in sharp contrast to his fellow lawmakers who were conversing with other members as well as some who even brought their children to the House floor to witness the spectacle of the speaker’s election.
He’s been much more social since then.
Oliver O’Connell6 January 2023 06:45
Photo of AOC laughing as Matt Gaetz makes impassioned speech goes viral
The photo was taken during the chaotic vote on Wednesday, when the House of Representatives adjourned without having decided on a new speaker. Legislators had appeared temporarily to not know what the final vote count was on the resolution.
Oliver O’Connell6 January 2023 05:45
Speaker fight exposes post-Trump GOP leadership vacuum
The episode also poses more profound questions about the party’s identity and future. It’s a fresh reminder of Trump’s waning influence inside the GOP — even among the most vocal supporters of his Make America Great Again political movement — as he again seeks the party’s presidential nomination, exposing a leadership vacuum with no obvious alternative to unite the party and guide it through practical governing responsibilities and political challenges.
Oliver O’Connell6 January 2023 04:45
No members, no rules…
As Republicans continue to squabble over who will be the next speaker, there are essentially no members in the U.S. House of Representatives — only members-elect.
Without a speaker, none of the them can be sworn in, and the 118th Congress can’t convene or vote on any rules. Parliamentary procedure has been jettisoned in favor of controlled chaos. Members of both parties are unsure whether they can call votes or make motions on the floor because there is no speaker to rule on their requests. Committees can’t be formed and legislation can’t be passed.
Oliver O’Connell6 January 2023 03:45
AOC fires back after Cammack accuses Democrats of getting drunk in House chamber
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez knocked down accusations from Republican Representative Kat Cammack of Florida after she claimed Democrats were drinking during their vote to nominate a speaker of the House of Representatives.
Oliver O’Connell6 January 2023 02:45
From funny to dangerous: Democrats despair at GOP speaker debacle
The Independent’s Eric Garcia spoke with key Democrats about the unfolding speaker debacle.
Oliver O’Connell6 January 2023 01:45