Rep.-elect Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is on track to lose the 7th round of voting for House speaker Thursday, failing to sway Republican holdouts despite hours of negotiations and concessions.
McCarthy offered more concessions to members of the House Freedom Caucus (HFC) opposing his bid for speaker since the House adjourned Wednesday evening. He has discussed granting the HFC more positions on the House Rules Committee, holding a vote on congressional term limits, as well as lowering the threshold for forcing a vote to remove the speaker to just one majority-party lawmaker.
McCarthy has repeatedly failed to secure the 218 votes required to become speaker in seven separate roll calls since Tuesday. Nineteen Republicans opposed him in the first two votes, but his opposition grew to 21 after the HFC nominated Florida Republican Byron Donalds on Wednesday. Indiana Republican Victoria Spartz also switched her vote from McCarthy to “present.”
The same vote came down in the 7th round Thursday, 201 for McCarthy and 212 for Jeffries, except Rep.-elect Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., cast a surprise vote for former President Donald Trump after he previously supported Donalds. The speaker does not have to be a member of Congress to be elected.
Rep.-elect Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., arrives at the Capitol as the House meets for a second day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023.
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
HOUSE GOP HOLDOUTS DEFEND THEIR PAST PRAISE OF MCCARTHY: ‘NO VENDETTA’
Meanwhile, House Democrats have remained united behind incoming House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, casting all 212 votes for him in every round.
McCarthy came up short even after Trump called on House Republicans to back McCarthy, telling Fox News Digital this week that the holdouts are playing a “dangerous game.”
Former Vice President Mike Pence also called on Republicans to support McCarthy, tweeting Wednesday, “Urging Every Republican in [the House GOP] to support my friend, Kevin McCarthy as the next Speaker of the House.”
Rep.-elect Byron Donalds stands up to House Minority Speaker Kevin McCarthy, as some within the GOP rally behind the potential new candidate.
(Photo illustration / Fox News)
Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., delivers remarks alongside House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy in the House Chamber during the second day of elections for Speaker of the House at the U.S….
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