House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy failed to obtain the necessary 218 votes to become the next House speaker during the first vote on Tuesday.
Reps. McCarthy (R-Calif.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), and Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) split most of the votes, but no candidate received more than half of the vote (218) which is required to win the election. It has been nearly a century since the majority party failed to elect a speaker on the first vote, explains Fox News.
Given that some Republicans have previously declared their opposition to McCarthy, it was widely expected that he would need more than one round of voting to win the gavel.
A group of five conservatives led by Biggs and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) have publicly stated that they will not support McCarthy under any circumstances and have called on him to stand down to make room for a more viable candidate.
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“It’s true we struggle with trust with Mr. McCarthy, because time and again his viewpoints, his positions, they shift like sands underneath you,” Gaetz told reporters before the vote. “If you want to drain the swamp, you cannot put the biggest alligator in charge of the exercise.”
However, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) says McCarthy has earned the position of Speaker. “Under Kevin McCarthy’s leadership, House Republicans crafted a bold vision to put America back on track,” she said.
In other news, the GOP is dysfunctional.
