Posted on 01/03/2023 11:07:17 AM PST by Red Badger
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) fell short of the votes needed to secure the speaker’s gavel on the first ballot, with his chances of obtaining the long-coveted role remaining in doubt as conservatives continue to withhold their support for the California Republican.
Nineteen GOP lawmakers voted against him Tuesday afternoon as they push for the conference to rally around a different “consensus candidate.”
The chamber is slated to move on to a second ballot for the first time since 1923, with McCarthy allies hoping that he garners more support as both the “Never Kevin” and “Only Kevin” factions of the GOP vow to go as many ballots as it takes.
A total of 19 Republicans voted against McCarthy on the first ballot. Among the "no" votes were Rep. Andy Biggs, who challenged McCarthy for the leadership spot and voted for himself. Most of the "no" votes were in his favor. Six members voted for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), including Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL), and Rep.-elect Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL). Jordan is a member of the Freedom Caucus and the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee.
McCarthy, who won an internal leadership election in November with 36 Republicans voting against him, has struggled to sway conservative hard-liners who demanded substantial changes to the House and conference rules, including restoring the motion to vacate the chair, a mechanism used to oust a sitting speaker; a ban on leadership playing in primaries, commitments to rein in spending and restore regular order; and better committee assignments for right-wing lawmakers.
After the GOP fell short of its anticipated red wave, McCarthy faced a steeper climb in gaining the gavel, with the margins in the House allowing him just four defections on the floor unless his critics choose to vote present or not vote to bring down the threshold.
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While the California Republican has made strides to meet with potential defectors and strike a compromise, his efforts were not enough to sway the support needed for the first round. But McCarthy, who previously dropped out of the speaker’s race to replace former Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) in 2015 amid conservative pushback, has asserted that he believes the party needs to rally around him to demonstrate that it is capable of governing with its new House majority.
Five conservatives — former House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Bob Good (R-VA), Ralph Norman (R-SC), and Matt Rosendale (R-MT) — said that they would not support McCarthy on the floor and would continue to vote as a bloc in the weeks leading up to the start of the new Congress. While talk of centrists working with Democrats to pick another candidate was floated in November, various GOP factions claimed that they would rally around McCarthy until the end on Thursday.
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I’d give anything to have Trump be the speaker. That would be incredible and that would piss off the liberals more than anything which would be great.
ACT II of the Kabuki Theater. Anti- MCCarthy people vote for Jordan, he flips support to McCarthy and we all get home early enough for a $300/head lobbyist dinner.
Gene Simmons got a new gig?......................
so true. I wouldn’t mind but the press once again shows what a disaster the republican party is. Course Republicans don’t help themselves.
>Kabuki Theater<
Absolutely.
Or the second it appears.
It’s been so satisfying seeing McCarthy be humiliated like this. Just desserts!
He'll get the last laugh. The only people who suffer will be conservative Republicans
McCarthy was caught on Camera laughing after 1st vote.
He may get the last laugh,
But he made history today.
100 Years since a Speaker lost on 1st vote.
Good start if you want a loser legacy. I'm not very optimistic here.
Concessions from McCarthy?
Are the no voters willing to give the SOTH to the Dems out of spite?
The Next record will be 9 votes.
Think it happened in Mid 1800’s
Go Kevin Go. Break That Record too.
That’s the thing. Andy Biggs was the one nominated as an alternative. All 19 defectors should have rallied around him in Round 1.
Yup, Lee Zeldin, Matt Gaetz, or Jim Jordan would be fine with me. Tough, smart, and pro-active.
That’s it “Freedom” caucus, make the GOP match the view you want everyone to have of it - weak; yea, that’s real helpful - NOT.
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The GOP is like a dumpster full of garbage that has a few useful items in it that someone tossed out!
I love seeing the McCarthy fanboys making wild prognostications. They sure do love their RINOs. Keep spreading the fear porn fellas. McCarthy is cooked.
You’re no help at all. LOL
he probably needs to do the right thing to make the peace with the whole floor and get the republicans united behind one speaker.
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Yeah, right, even if it’s some left wing arsehole who’s the mirror image of that Baltimore Skank that’s finally out of our face!
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