McCarthy poised to lose third vote for speaker, as House goes to multiple ballots for the first time in 100 years

Conservatives opposed to McCarthy seen huddling in chamber during third vote

During the third ballot vote for speaker, several House Republicans who have opposed McCarthy to be speaker were seen huddling in the back of the chamber.

The conservatives huddling in the center aisle were Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Chip Roy of Texas and Lauren Boebert of Colorado.

McCarthy poised to fail a third time

A fourth vote was expected Tuesday afternoon as McCarthy appeared poised to fall short of the votes needed to seize the speakership for the third time on Tuesday.

McCarthy lost twice earlier in the day, with 19 conservatives casting their ballots for Rep. Jim Jordan, of Ohio, in the second round.

McCarthy’s conservative colleagues continued to cast their ballots defiantly for Jordan during the third vote, with Democrats again rallying behind Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, of New York.

McCarthy was nominated the third time by Rep. Steve Scalise, of Louisiana, who has been seen as a potential rival for the job. Rep. Chip Roy, of Texas, nominated Jordan.

After twice voting for McCarthy, GOP congressman switches to Jordan

Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., switched his vote for speaker from McCarthy to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, during the third ballot vote.

Donalds voted for McCarthy during the first two ballot votes. Donalds represents Florida’s 19th Congressional District and has served in the House since 2021.

There was a smattering of applause in the chamber when Donalds voted for Jordan.

Democrats mock Republicans over inability to elect House speaker

Now in the minority, House Democrats appeared to enjoy the GOP divisions over electing a speaker Tuesday.

Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-N.J., tweeted, “Update: after two rounds of voting the republicans still can’t elect a leader on their first day in power.” He then posted a gif from the 1937 Hindenburg disaster, showing an airship crashing into the ground.

“I could post cute kitten videos while we wait for the @HouseGOP to get their act together. What do you think?” tweeted Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., while Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., tweeted an image of Gunther Gebel-Williams that said he was the world’s greatest animal trainer from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus: “Who Kevin McCarthy needs to emulate. Slim chance. Tigers are easier to organize than Republican conference!” he said.

In another tweet, Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., mocked both McCarthy and incoming Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., who recently admitted to lying about his background. Connolly wrote, “George Santos on the Speaker’s race: ‘Kevin McCarthy was by my side at Normandy, and I’ll be by his today.'”

Democratic lawmaker jokes that his daughter can ‘step in’ as speaker

Rep. Josh Harder, D-Calif., joked that his daughter could “step in” to serve as House speaker in a tweet as fellow Californian Rep. Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, lost his second vote for the role on Tuesday.

The remark came as lawmakers appeared with their families for their swearing in to the 118th Congress on Tuesday.

“Lillian has agreed to step in as Speaker,” Harder wrote. “But only if it comes with a lifetime supply of raspberries.”

Pelosi reacts to Republicans’ struggling to elect GOP speaker

As House Republicans struggled to elect their own speaker now that they have the majority, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., suggested the GOP is ruining Congress as an institution.

“For many of us here who have served in the Congress, we respect the institution, and it would have been my hope that out of respect for the institution, the other side could have resolved their differences because they have the majority. And really, the public impression of this is not as respectful of the institution,” Pelosi told reporters as lawmakers spent hours trying to elect the speaker.

Asked what Pelosi would recommend to her GOP counterparts, she said, “It’s up to them.”

Pelosi stepped down as the Democratic leader after serving as House speaker twice. She has decided, however, to remain a rank-and-file member of Congress.

Speaker vote goes to multiple rounds for first time in 100 years

A band of ultraconservative rebels on Tuesday twice blocked House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy from securing the speaker’s gavel in the first votes of the new Republican majority, marking the first time the House has gone to multiple ballots to elect a speaker in 100 years.

In the dramatic televised vote on the House floor, McCarthy, of California, received support from an overwhelming majority of his GOP Conference, with 203 votes, but that was short of the 218 needed to win a simple majority of the 434 House members present. McCarthy lost a second round of voting by the same amount.

Nineteen conservatives cast their votes for other candidates in the first round, with the majority backing one of McCarthy’s chief antagonists, former Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Biggs, R-Ariz. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, received six votes, while Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., and Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., each received one vote.

All 19 cast their ballots for Jordan in the second round.

Read the full story here.