WaPo (“Kevin McCarthy elected House Speaker, breaking historic deadlock“)
Republican leader Kevin McCarthy became the 55th speaker of the House early Saturday morning, overcoming a fierce challenge to his leadership by a group of far-right members that led him to make steep concessions and suggests a contentious two years ahead.
“I’m glad it’s over,” McCarthy told reporters after gaining the 216 votes he needed after midnight.
“As Speaker of the House my ultimate responsibility is not to my party,” he said in a speech after 1 a.m. in the chamber. “Our responsibility is to our country.”
Too late for that, buddy.
His election capped four days of bitter infighting among Republicans over their future that finally appeared to be headed to a resolution Friday night, with McCarthy and his allies projecting confidence as they headed into a 14th vote around 10 p.m.
But that vote failed as well, in a stunning turn of events that blindsided McCarthy. Lacking just one vote to elect a speaker after days of negotiations and roll-call votes, at least one lawmaker was seen wiping tears away and a McCarthy ally charged angrily at one of the holdouts, his frustration boiling over.
Republicans’ infighting over the speakership caused a logjam unprecedented in modern history. With 14 failed rounds of voting, the House surpassed the number of votes it endured — nine — the last time such a stalemate occurred, in 1923.
President Biden released a statement congratulating McCarthy on the victory. “This is a time to govern responsibly and to ensure that we’re putting the interests of American families first,” Biden said.
Sick burn!
On Friday, McCarthy finally was able to make progress after his allies worked to hammer out a framework that resulted in 14 of the 20 holdouts voting for him on Friday afternoon on the 12th ballot, prompting cheers from the Republican side of the aisle.
“The potential of what’s been described to us, pending approval, is transformative to empower the rank and file,” Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.), who flipped for McCarthy, said after the 12th ballot.
On the 13th ballot, McCarthy gained support from one more holdout, Andy Harris (R-Md.), capping the most momentum he had seen all week. Still, those 214 votes were not enough.
The House agreed to reconvene hours later to allow Wesley Hunt (R-Tex.) and Ken Buck (R-Colo.) time to return to vote. Hunt had flown back to Texas to be with his wife, who just days before had delivered a baby several weeks premature and had since returned to the hospital with complications. Buck had traveled to Colorado for a medical procedure.
“We’ll come back tonight … and finish this once and for all. It just reminds me of what my father always told me: It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish,” McCarthy said. “I think at the end of the day, we’re going to be more effective, more efficient.”
No. No, you’re not.
But when the House reconvened late Friday night, four of the original 20 holdouts continued to vote against McCarthy, while two of them — Lauren Boebert (Colo.) and Matt Gaetz (Fla.) — voted “present”, effectively abstaining.
That left McCarthy short just one vote of the speakership — the closest he has been all week.
McCarthy allies swarmed Gaetz —who cast his vote last —on the floor and tried to persuade the Florida Republican to change his vote, with party-mate Mike Rogers of Alabama storming into the huddle and seeming on the brink of violence. Rogers then retreated to a cloakroom off the floor.
Democrats and Republicans alike appeared stunned by the turn of events, and the chamber was nearly silent as people processed what was going on.
McCarthy’s speaker bid appeared to be stymied once again, as lawmakers began voting to adjourn until Monday. But just moments before that vote was ending, McCarthy signaled he had a deal, quickly changing his own vote not to adjourn.
Former president Donald Trump, who McCarthy once privately disavowed in the wake of the Capitol attack but has since embraced, appeared to try to talk to at least one of the holdouts via phone while they were still on the floor, whipping their votes. He called Gaetz and pushed him to find a resolution, according to a source familiar with the conversation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to detail a private discussion.
As the 15th ballot began, heads were spinning. “Madam clerk, I rise to say: Wow,” said Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), as he nominated Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) for speaker.
So say we all.
On the 15th ballot, Republicans Eli Crane (Ariz.), Bob Good (Va.), Andy Biggs (Ariz.) and Matthew M. Rosendale (Mont.) switched their votes from opposing McCarthy to “present,” joining Gaetz and Boebert, and allowing McCarthy to win with just 216 votes. Jeffries received 212 votes.
The days-long struggle to choose a speaker has raised fears across the Capitol that McCarthy may not be able to manage his narrow majority or effectively govern.
Ya think?
