WASHINGTON – Three days into the process of electing a new US House Speaker, and after eleven rounds of votes, no candidate has emerged as winner.
House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy fell short on the 218 votes needed to hold the gavel amid GOP turmoil, even after he reportedly offered a new round of concessions to a group of 20 House republicans who oppose his candidacy and are demanding several reforms.
The embattled Republican leader faced fierce opposition from within his caucus, as 19 members defected in the first round of voting on Tuesday. It was the first time since 1923 that the House did not elect a speaker during the first round of votes.
What were the vote results?
As a result, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who received all the votes of his caucus, finished first with 212 – still not enough to cross the 218 threshold and hold the gavel. McCarthy came in second with just 203 votes out of the Republicans’ 222.
US House Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speaks during a news conference following a House Democratic Caucus meeting at the US Capitol in Washington, November 2, 2021 (credit: EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS)The House was adjourned Tuesday and Wednesday after the third and sixth round of voting, respectively, as McCarthy’s allies hoped to find a formula that would satisfy his opposition.
However, despite those efforts – as well as a public statement of support from former president Donald Trump – McCarthy still was not able to secure the required votes at the seventh round on Thursday.
