McCarthy faces rocky road to speakership as hardliners ...

CNN —

Members of the pro-Trump House Freedom Caucus are withholding their support for House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy’s speakership bid and have begun to lay out their list of demands, putting the California Republican’s path to securing 218 votes in peril if the party ultimately takes the House with a slim majority.

McCarthy and his team are confident he will ultimately get the votes to be speaker. But the conservative hardliners are emboldened by the likelihood of a narrow House GOP majority and are threatening to withhold their support – something that could imperil his bid or force him to make deals to weaken the speakership, something he has long resisted.

Rep. Chip Roy of Texas told reporters that “no one currently has 218” votes for speaker, which is the magic number McCarthy would need to secure the speaker’s gavel on the House floor in January, and said he wants McCarthy to list in greater detail his plans for a wide array of investigations into the Biden administration. And Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona complained that McCarthy seemed to backpedal on whether he’d be willing to launch impeachment proceedings into President Joe Biden or members of his Cabinet.

“I’ve heard from multiple of my constituents who question the wisdom of proceeding forward with that leadership,” Biggs said, adding that there needs to be a “frank conversation” about who they elect for the top job.

Members of the group are also pushing to make it easier for lawmakers to call for floor votes on ousting a sitting speaker. That is something that McCarthy is adamantly against and was wielded over former Speaker John Boehner before he eventually resigned.

Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado said it was a “red line” for her, but not everyone in the Freedom Caucus is united on whether to make that a hard line.

The Freedom Caucus, a group that includes dozens of hardline members, have been meeting in Washington, DC, this week for their new member orientation, where they have begun to plot out their strategy for the speaker’s race. With a slimmer-than-expected majority, they see an opportunity, and are planning to use their leverage to get more power in a GOP-led House.

But the group’s push to extract concessions from McCarthy has exacerbated tensions inside the party. Said one senior GOP lawmaker: “They are a bunch of selfish, prima dona a**holes who want attention for themselves. They are trading effectiveness for the warm embrace of their social media followers.”

McCarthy, who has been working the phones locking down support from across the conference and received former President Donald Trump’s endorsement on Monday, still remains a frontrunner for the job, and no serious challenger has emerged. And two would-be challengers, Reps. Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise, have lined up behind his speakership bid.

McCarthy also has time to win over critics. The GOP’s internal leadership elections, where he only needs a simple majority to win his party’s nomination for speaker, are next week, but the floor vote where McCarthy needs a majority of the entire House is not until January.

His ability to round up 218 votes for speaker will ultimately depend on two things: the size of his majority and whether he’s willing to cut deals with the conservatives that he assiduously courted after they denied him the speakership in 2015. So far, however, McCarthy has not made any promises or given in their demands, with sources saying he has just been in listening mode with potential holdouts.

CNN has yet to project which party will have control of the House of Representatives, though as of Friday morning, CNN has projected that Republicans have 211 seats to Democrats’ 198.

Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina said McCarthy personally called and asked for his support for speaker, but Norman wouldn’t commit. He told McCarthy there’s a group of them that wants to meet in person, which he said McCarthy was amenable to.

Norman said the group hopes to formalize a lengthier list of all the rules changes they are seeking. They are also pushing to delay next week’s internal leadership elections, though there is no indication McCarthy plans to do so.

“I’m not supporting anybody until I know what the blueprint is,” Norman said.

When asked whether McCarthy should get credit for delivering the majority, Norman responded: “The taxpayers that voted the representatives in deserve the credit.”

Rep. Bob Good, a member of the Freedom Caucus, told reporters that McCarthy “has not done anything to earn my vote” for speaker.

The Virginia Republican also predicted that “there will be a challenge to (McCarthy) as a speaker candidate,” a possibility that CNN first reported was under consideration by the group.

Such a challenge would be more of a protest candidate than a serious one. The group just wants to show McCarthy during next week’s internal GOP leadership elections that he doesn’t have the floor votes for speaker, in hopes of forcing him to the negotiating table.

But there is at least one member who has said there is nothing McCarthy could do to earn his vote. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida said on his podcast that not only was McCarthy not his first choice to lead, he was not “even in my top 100”.

“With a slim majority, we shouldn’t be starting the C team,” Gaetz said. “We need to put our star players in a position to shine brightest so that we can attract more people to our policies and ideas.”

Melanie Zanona Manu Raju
Melanie Zanona
Manu Raju

Recap: House adjourns as McCarthy regroups after losing speaker ...

WASHINGTON - A chaotic and historic two days in the House was punctuated Wednesday night by a raucous vote to adjourn during a tumultuous session marked by shouting and confusion.

And still no speaker.

Republicans came to the floor at 8 p.m. ET and motioned to adjourn again until noon tomorrow to give GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy more time to secure the 218 votes he needs to win the gavel. Democrats, in no hurry to resolve the GOP stalemate, tried to block the effort but failed.

A voice vote was too close in a House currently without rules, and Democrats shouted for the clerk to hold a recorded vote. Members filed up to the rostrum to cast their votes, as others stood behind them and anxiously looked up at the House scoreboard.

The GOP, which ultimately has a four-vote majority in the House, won the debate 216-214, with at least two Republicans siding with Democrats.

After six votes in two days, Wednesday night ended without a speaker in the House. A seventh vote likely blocking McCarthy, who is more than a dozen votes shy fo what he needs, would have ensued if the House had not adjourned. It's been 100 years since a speaker's election took more than one ballot.

The House reconvenes at noon Thursday, when McCarthy will resume his prolonged fight for speaker.

The situation, which has dragged on since Tuesday, has left Congress paralyzed, since no member of the House of Representatives can be sworn in and no rules can be adopted until a speaker is chosen.

The House remained stuck after McCarthy was nominated, several times, for the top job in that chamber. He appears to have failed again to have secured that job - for now.

On Tuesday, McCarthy was denied the 218 votes he needed by a cadre of Republican hardliners in three separate ballots. It was the first time in a century that a speaker was not elected on the first round.

A group of up to 20 conservatives is determined to oppose McCarthy, and the end game remains unclear..

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Here are the latest developments:

McCarthy nominated, again, and loses, again. The action began around noon, with McCarthy nominated for a fourth, fifth and sixth time in two days. He lost all three ballots.

The action began around noon, with McCarthy nominated for a fourth, fifth and sixth time in two days. He lost all three ballots. Biden calls the situation embarrassing. The fighting is "not a good look," he told reporters at the White House. Ultimately, though, the GOP drama isn't his problem, he said.

The fighting is "not a good look," he told reporters at the White House. Ultimately, though, the GOP drama isn't his problem, he said. The plan. The plan is for members to vote again – and again – if necessary. But if there's no resolution, the voting could last for days, weeks or even months.

Day One: House adjourns without a new speaker as McCarthy loses three rounds of voting: live updates

What now?:What happens after McCarthy loses speaker vote three times? Here's how the process works.

House to vote on adjourning for the night without electing a speaker

The House will vote late Wednesday on adjourning for the night without electing a speaker of the House, prolonging the political paralysis that has gripped the chamber.

GOP leader Kevin McCarthy has been unable to sway enough conservatives to win the speaker's job.

After McCarthy failed on a sixth ballot in the mid-afternoon, the House GOP approved an adjournment until 8 p.m.

A House floor update notes that the House will vote again to adjourn when it reconvenes.

– David Jackson

PACs come together to back McCarthy as speaker

In the hour before the House reconvenes, two political action committees have come together to support McCarthy in his continued bid for speaker.

The Congressional Leadership Fund, an independent super PAC linked to McCarthy, and Club for Growth, a conservative group, agreed that the congressional leadership fund will not spend in open-seat primaries in safe Republican districts or provide resources to other PACs to do so.

This agreement could appease McCarthy opponents in safe districts who didn’t want money spent against them in primaries

- Rachel Looker

How long was the longest speaker vote in the past? Months

Not since 1923 has a speaker’s election gone to multiple ballots.

The longest and most grueling fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged out for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War.

-- Associated Press

Trump power? Ex-president hasn't moved the needle on McCarthy – and many Republicans noticed

So far, not a single Republican opponent of Kevin McCarthy has changed his or her vote after former President Donald Trump urged them to back McCarthy and move on.

"Currently on full display: how DEEPLY weakened Trump is," tweeted Alyssa Farah Griffin, an aide in the Trump White House. "Even his staunchest allies aren’t afraid to defy him & his endorsement did nothing to get McCarthy more votes."

Many Republicans pointed out the comments of Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., who said her "favorite president" asked her and other members of the anti-McCarthy faction to "knock this off," but he should instead call McCarthy and tell him "'you do not have the votes, and it's time to withdraw.'"

After that comment, Republican strategist Scott Jennings said: "Not only are they disregarding Trump but they are now ORDERING HIM AROUND. Unbelievable!"

Trump has faced rising criticism since the November elections; many Republicans blamed the ex-president for the party's disappointing showing, not to mention the many investigations swirling around him.

– David Jackson

Previously:Republican support for Trump's 2024 bid falls amid political, legal setbacks

GOP: Lack of speaker means lack of security clearances

A group of GOP members-elect said without a speaker, they lack access to secure facilities where they receive daily briefs related to the nation's security.

Following McCarthy's sixth failed attempt at speaker, Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher said during a press conference that he was supposed to meet with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to talk about matters in the Indo-Pacific, but was informed by House security that he does not have a clearance.

“My point is we have work to do that we can’t do right now,” Gallagher, who is a member of the Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, said.

Michigan Rep. John James said the needs and security of all Americans needs to be prioritized.

“Right now, we’re hamstrung from doing that because we are bogged down in things that have taken our focus off the nation,” he said.

- Rachel Looker

McCarthy standoff:A visual guide to a House speaker deadlock not seen for a century

House adjourns until 8 p.m.

Following three votes Wednesday afternoon that failed to produce a speaker, GOP Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma motioned to adjourn – but even that didn’t come without some pushback.

All Republicans voted yes in a voice vote. All Democrats voted no.

Former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer called for a roll call vote, but leadership didn’t agree.

The clerk called the adjournment until 8 p.m., when the House will reconvene.

-- Candy Woodall

Takeaways:McCarthy keeps losing, Biden mocks House GOP: Day 2 of the new Congress

A sixth ballot repeat: McCarthy stuck on 201 votes

Three votes on Wednesday, three identical results – and McCarthy is no closer to being speaker of the House.

McCarthy again claimed only 201 votes on the sixth ballot, just as he did on the two previous rounds Wednesday, according to the House clerk. McCarthy also fell short in three votes on Tuesday; he needs 218 to prevail, and it's unclear how he can get there.

A group of 20 conservatives again voted for Byron Donalds on the sixth ballot, as they did on ballots four and five.

A former McCarthy supporter, Victoria Spartz, voted "present."

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries remained the top vote getter, with the support of 212 Democratic colleagues.

The House then adjourned until 8 p.m.

– David Jackson

Day two of Congress:As Santos fiddles with his phone, investigators circle, speaker votes are cast

McCarthy appears to lose sixth House speaker vote

House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy lost a sixth vote in his bid for speaker, putting an exclamation point on two long days that have not gone in his favor.

Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida described his sixth nomination as “Groundhog Day” and urged fellow Republicans to unite and get things done for the American people.

But an opposition group within his own party, largely led by conservative Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, didn’t budge.

Without a speaker, the House remains paralyzed, without the ability to swear-in members, seat committees or move legislation.

--Candy Woodall

Elsewhere in government:Biden plans to visit the U.S.-Mexico border for the first time in his presidency

Perry, while nominating Donalds, credits Pelosi

While nominating Republican Rep. Byron Donalds a third time today for speaker, Rep. Scott Perry said it’s actually a Democrat who has done the most to build the current GOP majority: former Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Donalds knows “Washington is broken” and will work to fix it, he said.

Perry is one of the ringleaders of a group of 20 conservative members opposing House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy.

“We are making history in this process and showing the American people this process works,” Perry said. “Is it going to be hard? Is it going to be painful? Yes. That’s probably why it hasn’t happened in 100 years.”

--Candy Woodall

What's happening in the House?:What happens after McCarthy loses speaker vote again? Here's how the process works.

Jeffries nominated for the sixth time

With little movement so far on who will become speaker, Aguilar nominated Jeffries again for the sixth time.

“Democrats are united behind a speaker who will build safer communities,” said Aguilar, referring to Democratic priorities on gun control legislation. “A leader who has a track record in actually getting things done.”

-- Ken Tran

Previously:Hakeem Jeffries elected House Democratic leader, making history as first Black lawmaker to lead a major party in Congress

Taylor Greene: House speaker vote 'embarrassing'

As the House moved to a sixth ballot to determine who will win the speaker’s gavel, GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene called her party’s inability to pick a speaker “embarrassing.”

“I hope it’s over soon because, to be honest with you, I find it embarrassing,” Greene told reporters on her way back to the House floor.

Greene also gave credit to Democrats for being able to work together, saying that she thinks the GOP “should find ways to work together.”

- Sarah Elbeshbishi

Cammack says it’s “Groundhog Day” as she nominates McCarthy

GOP Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida called it “Groundhog Day” as she nominated House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy for speaker – his sixth nomination in two days.

She said the American people don’t care about who’s going to be speaker; they care about getting results to problems, such as the ongoing opioid crisis and “open border.”

“They didn’t send us to be perpetual critics,” Cammack said. “They sent us to get things done.”

It’s time to unite and do the people’s business, she said.

-- Candy Woodall

Quest for the gavel:Kevin McCarthy was once rejected for a House internship. Now he could become the next speaker

No change for McCarthy on the fifth ballot

The fifth ballot went the same as the fourth, according to the official House tally: McCarthy again won 201 votes, well short of the 218 he needs to become speaker.

Again, 20 Republicans voted for a non-McCarthy alternative, Byron Donalds.

Again, former McCarthy supporter Victoria Spartz voted "present."

And, again, Hakeem Jeffries racked up 212 votes from fellow Democrats.

On toward a sixth ballot.

– David Jackson

Could Jeffries win the speakership?

Jeffries has consistently received 212 votes in each of the ballots—gaining the support of every Democrat in the House and surpassing the number of ballots for McCarthy. But it is highly unlikely that Jeffries would win the speakership.

It would require a member, or multiple members, of the Republican party to reach across the aisle and cast a ballot in support of the opposite party.

The last time a lawmaker voted for the opposite political party was in 2001. Democratic Rep. Jim Traficant from Ohio voted for the Republican speaker nominee. The Democratic party stripped him of all committee assignments in response.

- Rachel Looker

Who is Hakeem Jeffries?:What to know about the Brooklyn Rep. nominated for Congress

Donalds: ‘I never came here to try to be speaker’

Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, who received 20 votes in the last ballot, said he expects the speaker to be elected today, but added that serving in the top leadership position was never his intention. He said he anticipates meeting with McCarthy later today.

“I didn’t come to DC being interested in becoming speaker of the House,” he said, adding, however, that he understands the responsibility of making sure the Republican conference can govern. “I’m going to help do that in any way I can,” he said.

“The time of leadership by acclamation, those days are over,” he said.

-- Rachel Looker

McCarthy appears to lose fifth vote

House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy appears to have lost his bid for speaker a fifth consecutive time, continuing a string of stinging defeats and a tumultuous day in the lower chamber.

McCarthy lost three times Tuesday and twice so far Wednesday. There could be more votes this afternoon, as no member in either party has motioned to adjourn.

Before the fifth vote, multiple McCarthy allies worked to end the impasse with his 20 detractors, but the count proved out of their favor.

-- Candy Woodall

Who is McCarthy?:Kevin McCarthy was once rejected for a House internship. Now he could become the next speaker

Who voted present today on the fourth ballot?

On the fourth ballot for speaker, Indiana Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz opted to vote “present” after backing McCarthy in the previous three ballots, in another blow to McCarthy’s chances of securing the speakership.

“We have a constitutional duty to elect the speaker of the House, but we have to deliberate further as a Republican conference until we have enough votes and stop wasting everyone’s time.” Spartz said. “None of the Republican candidates have this number yet. That’s why I voted present after all votes were cast.”

No member from McCarthy’s opposition has yet to flip and vote for McCarthy as speaker.

-- Ken Tran

A new Congress with new priorities:What to know on investigations, the fate of Biden's agenda and more

Trump has been calling GOP lawmakers to urge support for McCarthy, Boebert says

GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert in her nominating remarks shook off Trump’s endorsement of McCarthy.

“Let’s stop with the campaign smears and tactics to get people to turn against us,” said Boebert. “Even having my favorite president call us and tell us we need to knock this off, I think it actually needs to be reversed.”

“The president needs to tell Kevin McCarthy, ‘Sir you do not have the votes and it’s time to withdraw.’” said Boebert to cheers from McCarthy’s opposition.

-- Ken Tran

Throwback:Lawmakers sound off on recorded call of Kevin McCarthy saying Trump should resign over Jan. 6

Boebert nominates Donalds

Rep. Lauren Boebert nominated Rep. Byron Donalds for House speaker, his second nomination of the day.

Along with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ nomination, it marks the first day two Black men have been nominated speaker.

Boebert said Donalds will uphold conservative principles and build consensus. He received 20 votes during his first nomination.

--Candy Woodall

Previously:'High school drama'? MAGA lawmakers Greene and Boebert spar over Kevin McCarthy's speaker bid

Aguilar nominates Jeffries for the fifth time

After the fourth ballot was officially tallied, the House went straight to a fifth ballot with Aguilar nominating Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries on the Democratic side again.

“Madam Clerk, the lead vote getter in the last four tallies, Democrats are united behind a speaker who will work to codify the right to seek an abortion into law,” said Aguilar, referencing a key Democratic priority to enshrine abortion rights into federal law.

In all of the last four ballots, Jeffries earned the complete support of his Democratic colleagues at 212 votes.

-- Ken Tran

Who is Hakeem Jeffries in Congress?:What to know about the Brooklyn Rep. set to replace Pelosi

Davidson gives McCarthy fifth nomination

Rep. Warren Davidson, an Ohio Republican who took former Speaker John Boehner’s seat, nominated Rep. Kevin McCarthy Wednesday immediately following the House GOP leader’s fourth loss for speaker.

Davidson pointed out that there may be some members who don’t trust McCarthy, but said there are about 200 members who don’t trust the leader’s 20 detractors.

After rattling off a list of concessions he said McCarthy has made to those voting against him, Davidson said, “Kevin McCarthy engaged in that negotiation. He led the Congress to adopt substantive reforms that will make our majority more effective.”

-- Candy Woodall

Round four: Another loss for McCarthy

The fourth ballot, the first of Wednesday, went a little worse for McCarthy.

The struggling speaker candidate officially wound up with only 201 votes, fewer than the numbers he took on the three ballots on Tuesday, according to the House clerk. One of his previous supporters, Victoria Spartz of Indiana, voted "present" on Wednesday.

McCarthy needs 218 votes to win the speaker's job, and he is moving a little farther away.

This despite a morning endorsement from Donald Trump and heavy lobbying from allies who say all this is making the Republicans look bad.

Despite the pressure, McCarthy opponents who supported Jim Jordan for speaker on Monday backed a new challenger on Tuesday, Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida. He received 20 votes, the same number Jordan got on Tuesday's third ballot.

The stalemate again allowed Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries to become the top vote getter with 212 Democrats, but without the majority needed to prevail.

– David Jackson

What's happening in the House:Who are the Republicans balking at Kevin McCarthy as a House speaker?

McCarthy appears to lose fourth ballot

The outlook for Kevin McCarthy grew dimmer Wednesday afternoon when the House GOP leader appeared to have lost his bid for speaker a fourth consecutive time.

It was a crucial vote for McCarthy, who after losing three times yesterday worked to find a path forward today. He and his allies have tried to both sway his opponents and also persuade some of them to vote “present,” making it easier for him to win with a lower voting majority.

On Wednesday, it was evident McCarthy did little to advance when he did not pick up any votes.

--Candy Woodall

Gallagher nominates McCarthy for speaker

Rep. Mike Gallagher. a Wisconsin Republican, nominated House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy for speaker – his fourth nomination in two days.

“I wish we had a bigger majority,” Gallagher said, “but the American people gave us an opportunity.”

McCarthy is not asking for a vote to keep business as usual, Gallagher said. The leader wants to do the people’s business, he said.

Gaetz challenges McCarthy over office space

It's really gotten personal between aspiring House Speaker McCarthy and conservative critic Matt Gaetz.

Gaetz has asked the Architect of the Capitol to investigate McCarthy for moving stuff into the Speaker of the House's suite of offices, even though he failed to actually win the job during three ballots on Tuesday.

"How long will he remain there before he is considered a squatter?" the Florida Republican said in a letter to the architect's office.

Another McCarthy opponent, Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, re-tweeted Gaetz's complaint and amplified the itinerant metaphor: "McCarthy is squatting in the Speaker’s office."

For his part, McCarthy and his allies have criticized Gaetz for saying he would rather see Democrat Hakeem Jeffries win the speaker's job than McCarthy.

Stay tuned for more news about McCarthy's political future – and his office.

– David Jackson

Mike Pence chimes in, urges House GOP to elect McCarthy as speaker

Former Vice President Mike Pence offered his perspective on McCarthy’s battle, urging House Republicans “to support my friend, Kevin McCarthy as the next speaker of the House.”

“@GOPLeader’s (McCarthy's) leadership & vision led to the new Republican majority & I know Speaker McCarthy will lead the House to begin a great American comeback!” Pence tweeted.

-- Ken Tran

Aguilar: ‘Crisis of the Congress’

Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, the House Democratic Caucus chair, reiterated support for Jeffries Wednesday morning and said he will be nominating Jeffries during the speaker votes this afternoon. All 212 Democrats voted for Jeffries Tuesday during the three ballots.

“This is a crisis of the congress,” Aguilar said of yesterday’s proceedings.

He added that Democrats have not had any outreach with their colleagues on the other side of the aisle.

California Rep. Ted Lieu said the speakership position has already weakened from the inability of the Republican caucus to unite and select a speaker, noting that Democrats are also at a standstill and can’t appoint members to committees.

“They’ve already weakened that position,” Lieu said of the speakership, referencing McCarthy’s concessions including the motion to vacate.

- Rachel Looker and Sarah Elbeshbishi

'The rest of the world is looking': Biden calls GOP House speaker fight ‘embarrassing’

President Joe Biden called Republicans’ fight over electing a new House speaker “embarrassing,” “not a good look” and “not my problem” as he sought to contrast the chaos in House with a focus on governing.

“I hope they get their act together,” Biden told reporters Wednesday, adding that “the rest of the world is looking” and he is focused on “getting things done.”

Biden, speaking from the South Lawn of the White House, was en route to Kentucky. There he will appear with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and other officeholders of both parties to promote bipartanship by showcasing a major bridge project funded by federal infrastructure dollars.

-- Joey Garrison

Gaetz: Trump won't change my mind about opposing McCarthy

Matt Gaetz, an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, is saying Trump's endorsement of McCarthy won't shake his opposition to the latter's candidacy for House speaker.

"Sad!" Gaetz said in a Wednesday statement to Fox News Digital. "This changes neither my view of McCarthy nor Trump nor my vote."

In a Truth Social post hours earlier, Trump hit the all-caps button to say to Republican dissidents: "VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY."

Gaetz is especially close to Trump; he once endorsed Trump himself for the speaker's job. If Trump can't change his mind, it's hard to see many of the 20 or so opponents of McCarthy changing theirs.

– David Jackson

What about George Santos?

As if the GOP didn't have enough distractions.

Rep.-elect George Santos, of New York, has been embroiled in controversy after reports found he made up multiple parts of his biography during the 2022 midterm campaign.

The 34-year-old Republican, who is under investigation by New York prosecutors, admitted he lied about his educational achievements, his ancestry and his employment. He was in the chamber Tuesday for the speaker vote and is expected to be there Wednesday.

On the first three ballots, Santos voted for McCarthy. Like all other members of the House, he can take part in the vote for speaker though he won't be sworn in until after one is chosen.

Trump calls for members to vote for McCarthy

In a new Truth Social post Wednesday morning, Former President Donald Trump called on Republican House members to support Kevin McCarthy.

“Vote for Kevin, close the deal, take the victory,” Trump said in all caps.

He urged Republicans: “Do not turn a great triumph into a giant & embarrassing defeat.”

Trump said it’s time to celebrate, seemingly referring to the GOP’s four-vote majority in the House.

“Kevin McCarthy will do a good job, and maybe even a great job – just watch!” he said in closing.

McCarthy’s most fervent opponents are some of Trump’s biggest supporters. It remains to be seen if they will be swayed by his endorsement Wednesday morning.

--Candy Woodall

What to expect today

The House formally gavels in at noon, but both Republicans and Democrats will be meeting throughout the morning.

On the Republican side, Rep. Kevin McCarthy and his allies are working on two fronts: they are trying to negotiate with his detractors to sway their votes to his side and they’re also trying to get some members to vote “present” rather than for a named candidate. Voting present would ultimately help McCarthy boost his numbers and lower the threshold for which he needs to become speaker.

On the Democratic side, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and Vice Chair Ted Lieu will hold a press conference at 10:45 a.m. after their closed caucus meeting that starts at 9 a.m. Look for Democrats to take questions on whether they will help Republicans by having some members absent from the chamber today, lowering the overall voting majority and number McCarthy would need to clinch the speakership.

Last night, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said his caucus is focused on having a working partnership with Republicans to pass bipartisan legislation, but they’re not responsible for helping the GOP get organized.

Once the House gavels in at noon, members-elect could choose to vote again for speaker or adjourn again to allow for more negotiations.

--Candy Woodall

What changed overnight?

Rep. Kevin McCarthy is shifting his strategy to become speaker of the House – or at least he’s shifting the way he’s talking about it.

When a confident, almost defiant, McCarthy spoke during and after a Republican conference meeting Tuesday morning, he had said he wasn’t making any more concessions to appease the most conservative flank of his party and that he had “earned” the speakership.

By Tuesday night at the Capitol, after he had lost three votes to become speaker, he said he wanted all views to be represented on House committees and that negotiations were ongoing between his more than 200 supporters and 20 detractors.

McCarthy also said he had a new path to the speakership. Rather than focusing on the 218 votes needed to win the speakership outright, he mentioned 11 votes last night he needs to flip. A lot of that strategy involves getting some of his 20 dissenters to vote “present” rather than for a named candidate, which would allow him to win the speakership with a lower majority of votes.

--Candy Woodall

What could happen next?

Members will continue to vote — again and again potentially when they come back at noon. The vote could last for days, weeks or months until a speaker candidate receives enough votes. This leaves the House paralyzed since no member can be sworn in, no rules can be adopted and no legislative business can be conducted until a speaker is chosen

McCarthy could drop out of the race for speaker, leaving an opening for another Republican to win the speakership. As of Tuesday afternoon, no McCarthy challengers have come close to gaining enough votes to win the speakership. During the three ballots, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, Indiana Rep. Jim Banks, former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin and New York Rep. Byron Donalds received votes.

As a last resort, lawmakers could adopt a resolution that would elect a speaker by a plurality or by rank-choice voting instead of a simple majority.

- Rachel Looker

More:McCarthy denied, Santos in House: 5 takeaways from the tumultuous first day of a new Congress

More:What can Congress do about Rep.-elect George Santos, who lied ahead of winning his election?

Recap: House adjourns without new speaker; McCarthy loses votes

WASHINGTON—The House of Representatives adjourned Tuesday without a new speaker after GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy lost three straight ballots in the face of hardline opposition, the first time in a century the usually pro-forma process has taken more than one vote.

The last time the vote for a new speaker went past the first ballot was 100 years ago, in 1923. The loss underscores how Republican infighting between moderates and hardliners will complicate the GOP's majority in the House of Representatives.

The House will reconvene on Wednesday, when voting is expected to go to a fourth round.

McCarthy secured only 203 votes in the first round, far less than the majority of 218 he needed to secure the speaker's post; 19 other Republicans voted for other candidates; McCarthy even trailed Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who had the support of all 212 Democrats.

The last time the vote for a new speaker went past the first ballot was 100 years ago, in 1923. The loss underscores how Republican infighting between moderates and hardliners will complicate the GOP's majority in the House of Representatives.

Nor is that the only source of conflict in the new Congress, with GOP Rep.-elect George Santos of New York under investigation on multiple fronts after admitting to lies about everything from his education to his ancestry to his professional background.

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Latest developments:

Hardline Republicans blocked House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy from ascending to the speakership, the first time in a century that the election of a speaker went to a second ballot.

blocked House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy from ascending to the speakership, the first time in a century that the election of a speaker went to a second ballot. McCarthy secured only 203 votes on the first ballot, fewer than the majority of 218 he needed to secure the speaker's post. Nineteen Republicans voted for other candidates. Even Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (212) got more votes than McCarthy.

fewer than the majority of 218 he needed to secure the speaker's post. Nineteen Republicans voted for other candidates. Even Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (212) got more votes than McCarthy. There’s no guarantee a second ballot will result in a new leader. Far-right Republicans have dug in their heels against McCarthy, whom they view as too moderate and willing to work with Democrats.

On tap for week one:The new Congress will pick a speaker, potentially launch investigations and more

What happens next?

The third time was not a charm for McCarthy. The California representative did not pass the threshold of votes needed to serve as the next speaker in a third ballot for the gavel.

Here’s what could happen next:

Members will continue to vote— again and again. The House has adjourned for now, but will be back tomorrow. The vote could last for days, weeks or months until a speaker candidate receives enough votes. This leaves the House paralyzed with no member sworn in, no rules adopted and no legislative business conducted.

McCarthy could drop out of the race for speaker, leaving an opening for another Republican to win the speakership. As of Tuesday afternoon, no McCarthy challengers have come close to gaining enough votes to win the speakership. During the three ballots, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, Indiana Rep. Jim Banks, former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin and New York Rep. Byron Donalds received votes.

As a last resort, lawmakers could adopt a resolution that would elect a speaker by a plurality or by rank-choice voting instead of a simple majority.

-- Rachel Looker

Picking a new House speaker:What happens after McCarthy loses speaker vote? Here's how the process works.

Jeffries: House ‘failed to organize’

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York skewered the majority party hours after the third failed vote for speaker.

“Today for the first time in 100 years the House of Representatives failed to organize on opening day,” he said during a press conference at the Capitol.

It ushered a “sad day” for the institution, democracy and American people, he said.

Jeffries drew contrasts with Republicans who couldn’t galvanize enough votes for their House leader Kevin McCarthy to elect him speaker.

“Democrats are unified, ready, willing and able to get to work for the American people,” he said. “We are ready to work with Republicans, but we don’t have a willing partner.”

— Candy Woodall

‘A bad start’: GOP fails to unite during House speaker vote

Nebraska Republican Don Bacon rebuked the House Republican members who opposed California Rep. Kevin McCarthy as House speaker, opting to vote for alternative GOP lawmakers, including Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan.

“It’s not a good start and these guys should be embarrassed by the start they gave us,” Bacon told reporters after the House adjourned for the day. “This is a self-inflicted wound by these 19 that put themselves over the whole GOP and whole conference. It’s a bad start.”

Bacon said he still sees a path forward for McCarthy to win the speaker’s gavel despite the struggle Tuesday, noting that it may require some “wheeling and dealing” among Congress.

- Sarah Elbeshbishi

McCarthy's failure by the numbers, part 3

McCarthy fared no better on a third ballot, and actually lost support, according to the formal House tally.

McCarthy fell to 202 votes after Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida defected and voted for Jim Jordan; that put McCarthy further away from the 218 votes he needs to win the speakership.

A total of 20 Republicans voted for Jordan, though he has said he is not interested in the job.

As in the previous two ballots, McCarthy trailed Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who had the support of 212 Democrats.

– David Jackson

Dems point to history, unity in votes for Jeffries

In the three rounds of speaker votes for House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, several Democratic members cited the historic moment and the minority party’s strong showing of unity.

All 212 Democratic members voted for Jeffries each round, as he secured the most votes in the chamber. However, he will not be speaker because his party is in the minority by four votes.

But in each symbolic vote, many Democrats – especially lawmakers of color – pointed to how the first Black House Democratic leader had the most votes in the chamber and broke barriers to rise to his position. They also remembered the Black political and cultural leaders who paved the road before him, such as late Rep. John Lewis of Georgia and Martin Luther King Jr.

In his vote for Jeffries in the third round, former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said he was voting for Jeffries from “a united party for a united America.”

-- Candy Woodall

Roy nominates Jordan for the third ballot

Texas Rep. Chip Roy nominated Ohio's Rep. Jim Jordan again for what is now the House’s third ballot for speaker of the House.

“The fact is this place has to change.” said Chip Roy, calling for either changes in House rules or leadership. “I want the tools or I want the leadership to stop the swamp from running over the average American every single day.”

-- Ken Tran

Aguilar nominates Jeffries again

Rep. Pete Aguilar nominated House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries for a third time, as the Republican majority struggled to elect a speaker.

Aguilar and other Democrats have noted today that their party is unified behind their candidate, even chanting Jeffries' name after the most recent nomination.

-- Candy Woodall

Scalise nominates McCarthy

House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy was nominated by his top deputy Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., after losing on two previous ballots.

Scalise’s nomination kicks off a third round of voting as 19 Republicans have voted against their party’s House leader.

“We all came here to get things done,” Scalise said, emphasizing to rounds of applause that Republicans need to take action on the southern border, inflation and the ongoing opioid crisis. “Let’s rise to this challenge…and let’s start by electing Kevin McCarthy as speaker.”

-- Candy Woodall

What happens now?:Now that McCarthy has lost two votes for speaker, here's how the House could proceed

McCarthy's failure by the numbers, part two

It's official for a second time: McCarthy didn't make it to the House speakership on a second ballot that produced similar numbers as the first but also generated a conservative Republican alternative.

The 19 Republicans who voted against McCarthy on the first ballot, and backed a variety of other candidates, all supported Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, on the second round of voting – never mind that Jordan had given the nominating speech for McCarthy.

Jordan has said he is not interested in being speaker, but allies are trying to change his mind – though no one knows if he could command the necessary Republican majority.

McCarthy again claimed only 203 votes in the second ballot, below the majority of 218 he needed to secure the speaker's post, according to the final tally of the House clerk. He was unable to increase his total on the second ballot.

And, once again, McCarthy trailed Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who had the support of 212 Democrats.

– David Jackson

Who is Hakeem Jeffries?

Nancy Pelosi, the longtime California representative who has served as speaker of the House since 2019, stepped d last year, clearing the way for a new figure to take the lead.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a lawmaker from New York who has served in the chamber since 2013, was elected to lead House Democrats.

In inheriting the seat of Democratic leadership, Jeffries makes history, becoming the first ever person of color to do so.

-- Anna Kaufman

Who is Hakeem Jeffries?:What to know about the Brooklyn Rep. poised to replace Pelosi

Who is Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio?

Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan appears to have unified McCarthy’s opposition with all 19 Republicans voting for him – despite Jordan himself nominating and voting for McCarthy to become speaker.

Jordan, who has served in the House since 2007, was once political rivals with McCarthy, having run against him for House minority leader when Democrats took the House in 2018. Jordan has now positioned himself as one of McCarthy's closest allies, having nominated him on the second ballot for speaker.

As it stands, Jordan is set to chair the House Judiciary Committee, one of the chamber’s most powerful investigative committees. But with the speaker’s vote up in the air, it’s unclear what will happen.

-- Ken Tran

McCarthy appears to lose round two

House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy appeared to lose the second round of voting again by 19 votes from within his Republican Party.

All of the members who voted for five candidates against McCarthy on the first ballot this time coalesced around Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.

Jordan nominated McCarthy for speaker on the second ballot and voted for him.

The official vote was still being tallied as of 3:20 p.m.

-- Candy Woodall

Who are the Republicans who voted against McCarthy in round one?

On the first ballot for speaker, 19 Republicans voted against McCarthy: 10 voted for Biggs, 6 for Jordan, 1 for Indiana Rep. Jim Banks, 1 for former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin, and 1 for New York Rep. Byron Donalds.

The 19 Republicans are:

Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona

Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina

Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado

Rep.-elect Josh Breechen of Oklahoma

Rep. Michael Cloud of Texas

Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia

Rep.-elect Eli Crane of Arizona

Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida

Rep. Bob Good of Virginia

Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona

Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland

Rep.-elect Anna Paulina Luna of Florida

Rep. Mary Miller of Illinois

Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina

Rep.-elect Andy Ogles of Tennessee

Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania

Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana,

Rep. Chip Roy of Texas

Rep.-elect Keith Self of Texas

-- Ken Tran

Gaetz nominates Jordan

Shortly after Rep. Jim Jordan nominated fellow Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy for speaker, Rep. Matt Gaetz nominated Jordan.

Gaetz, R-Florida, voted for Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs on the first ballot.

Jordan has said he doesn’t want to be speaker and minutes ago said McCarthy was the best person for the job.

“Sometimes we have to do jobs we don’t really want to do,” Gaetz said. “Jim Jordan is the right person for speaker of the House because he is not beholden to the lobbyists and special interests.”

-- Candy Woodall

McCarthy nominated for speaker, again

Once political rivals, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, nominated McCarthy to the speakership as the House heads to a second ballot to vote for the next speaker.

Jordan urged House Republicans to unite behind McCarthy, saying that the differences within the conference “pale in comparison to the differences between us and the left, which now unfortunately controls the other party.”

-- Ken Tran

McCarthy's failure by the numbers

It's official: McCarthy did not make it to the speakership on the first ballot.

McCarthy secured only 203 votes, less than the majority of 218 he needed to secure the speaker's post, according to the House clerk; 19 other Republicans voted for other candidates.

McCarthy even trailed Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, who had the support of 212 Democrats.

A second ballot is coming up.

– David Jackson

Explainer:What happens after McCarthy lost the first vote for speaker? Here's how the process works.

Hakeem Jeffries got the most votes but it’s not enough: Here’s why

Jeffries ended up getting the most votes on the first ballot for speaker at 212 votes, earning the support of all of his Democratic colleagues in stark contrast to McCarthy, who had 19 Republicans vote against him – McCarthy earned 203 votes.

But to become speaker, a nominee has to earn a majority of the total votes cast. With 434 members voting, that means any nominee will have to reach 218 votes to wield the speaker’s gavel.

The House could opt to vote in a speaker by plurality, but it is extremely unlikely as it could pose the risk of Jeffries becoming speaker with a Republican majority.

-- Ken Tran

McCarthy falls short on first ballot

Kevin McCarthy appeared fell short of the majority he needed to become speaker of the House on the first ballot.

The new Republican-led House will need to hold one more ballot – at least.

The speaker vote could now drag out for hours or days.

– David Jackson

McCarthy's opposition nominates Biggs for speaker

Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., nominated fellow Arizonan Rep. Andy Biggs for speaker of the House in McCarthy’s first official challenge for the speakership.

“America knows that Washington is broken,” said Gosar to applause from only McCarthy’s opposition.

Biggs is not expected to be a leading contender for the speakership, but rather, a placeholder from McCarthy’s opposition.

- Ken Tran

Aguilar nominates Jeffries for speaker to raucous applause

Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., nominated House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries for speaker of the House to raucous applause from Democrats.

“Today Madam Clerk, House Democrats are united,” Aguilar said, in a show of contrast to McCarthy’s challenges in his bid for speaker. “We are unified behind a speaker who is an unapologetic advocate for protecting and expanding our freedoms.”

“Let’s go Hakeem!” one Democrat cheered.

-- Ken Tran

Earlier:Hakeem Jeffries elected House Democratic leader, making history as first Black lawmaker to lead a major party in Congress

Stefanik nominates McCarthy as speaker

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., nominated House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy as speaker shortly after 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, marking the beginning of a long vote among the 434 House members at the Capitol today.

She worked to make the case McCarthy is an experienced leader, a true conservative and that “nobody has worked harder” to put Republicans in the majority.

Stefanik said McCarthy has done well to build consensus – even as he has struggled the last two months to galvanize unequivocal support in his bid to be speaker.

-- Candy Woodall

House session starts as speaker vote nears

The afternoon began with the traditional fixtures of a new session of Congress: about three dozen children and babies watching history unfold as family members prepare to be sworn in, cheers and jubilation as one party retires from the House majority and another takes over, and curious onlookers in the gallery waiting to see what happens next.

Rep. Greg Pence, a Catholic Republican from Indiana and brother of former Vice President Mike Pence, held his grandson during the opening prayer, making the sign of the cross on his forehead. Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida sat with other “never Kevin” voters who oppose GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy’s bid for speaker. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., received thunderous applause as she gaveled out for the last time.

The otherwise peaceful and ceremonial beginning is expected to take a sharp turn when a contentious speaker vote begins, launching a historic decision in Congress that could take several ballots, hours and days to determine the next House speaker.

-- Candy Woodall

Previously:Who are the Republicans balking at Kevin McCarthy as a House speaker?

Republicans officially take House majority

The House has now gaveled in and Republicans have officially taken up the majority.

First orders of business: Taking roll of the new members and then voting on a new speaker – and it's uncertain who it will be.

- Ken Tran

McCarthy: 'I'm not going anywhere;' willing to hang in for multiple ballots

One thing McCarthy did not do during his brief remarks to reporters Tuesday: He did not withdraw from the speaker's race.

"I'm not going anywhere," said McCarthy, who did pull out from a speaker's race in 2015 when it appeared he lacked the votes to prevail.

This time around, McCarthy said he is prepared to go through several ballots if necessary, saying opponents should not be rewarded for making unreasonable demands.

Some opponents are working "for themselves," and not for "the country," he added.

– David Jackson

House speaker vote to begin soon

Voting is slated to begin shortly after noon as House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy tries to outlast his detractors in his bid for speaker, a position he has wanted for years.

It’s a role he didn’t have enough votes to win a half hour before the new Congress was scheduled to be gaveled in by the House clerk.

McCarthy said he will not bow out, signaling there could be multiple ballot votes for the first time in 100 years and it could take many hours — or even days — before a new speaker is elected.

— Candy Woodall

Republican lawmaker announces vote against McCarthy

North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop publicly shared in a statement that he “will not be supporting the status quo,” in another setback to McCarthy’s chances at securing the speakership.

“Kevin McCarthy is not the right candidate to be Speaker,” Bishop said in a statement on Twitter. “He has perpetuated the Washington status quo that makes this body one of the most unsuccessful and unpopular institutions in the country.”

-- Ken Tran

Beyond the speaker vote:What can Congress do about Rep.-elect George Santos, who lied ahead of winning his election?

McCarthy: Gaetz, other critics are willing to let Hakeem Jeffries become speaker

Saying his opponents have no plan of their own, McCarthy said some Republican critics are even willing to let House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries become speaker of a House with a GOP majority.

McCarthy singled out one of his most vocal critics, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

"Matt Gaetz said, 'I don't care if we go to plurality and we elect Hakeem Jeffries,'" McCarthy said.

– David Jackson

Previously:Hakeem Jeffries elected House Democratic leader, making history as first Black lawmaker to lead a major party in Congress

GOP power struggle before vote

The power struggle within the fractured House Republican caucus reached a pinnacle an hour before a contentious vote for speaker.

Allies of Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California raised their voices in the basement halls of the Capitol, calling out his detractors as selfish politicians who are acting in their own interest and not that of the country.

More than a dozen conservative members who oppose McCarthy left a Tuesday morning meeting saying nothing has changed, despite the House GOP leader’s multiple attempts in two months to cajole his right flank into supporting him.

— Candy Woodall

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene: ‘I am furious’

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., one of the House GOP conference’s most conservative members and a McCarthy supporter, told reporters Tuesday she is “furious” about Republican opposition to McCarthy’s bid for speaker.

Greene said on Monday night that three members of the House Freedom Caucus were “demanding positions for themselves, demanding gavel positions, demanding subcommittees, demanding for people to be taken off committees and people to be put on committees.”

The Georgia Republican has positioned herself as a McCarthy ally and has been attempting to serve as a bridge between the conference’s most conservative and more moderate lawmakers.

-- Ken Tran

Explained:What happens if McCarthy can't get votes needed for speaker? Here's how the election works

Gaetz: McCarthy is the "biggest alligator" in "the swamp"

As the vote approaches, it doesn't sound like Kevin McCarthy's opponents are backing down – and they still have the votes to block his election as Speaker.

Rep, Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and other opponents told a brief news conference that McCarthy is refusing to pursue fundamental change, and Gaetz sought to illustrate his point with an aquatic metaphor.

"If you want to drain the swamp, you cannot put the biggest alligator in charge of the exercise," Gaetz said. "I am a Florida man, and I know of what I speak."

– David Jackson

What can Congress do about Rep.-elect George Santos?

George Santos will likely be sworn in as a freshman congressman from New York on Tuesday, but there are questions about how long and whether he should remain in office.

The newly elected Republican admitted last week to lying to voters about his resume, including his personal and professional experiences, and said he still intends to take office in the new 118th Congress.

Nick LaLota, a fellow newly elected House Republican from New York, said in a statement last week, "a full investigation by the House Ethics Committee and, if necessary, law enforcement, is required. New Yorkers deserve the truth, and House Republicans deserve an opportunity to govern without this distraction."

Read the rest here:What can Congress do about Rep.-elect George Santos, who lied ahead of winning his election?

-- Candy Woodall

House member: 'Nothing's changed'

Rep. Bob Good of Virginia left a Republican caucus meeting and told reporters, "Nothing's changed." Good is one of a group of "Never Kevin" Republicans who have vowed not to vote for Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California as speaker.

The opposition from that group has complicated what is normally a smooth and quick process. Good's pronouncement came less than 90 minutes before the official start of the new Congress.

-- Candy Woodall

McCarthy opponents not blinking as Speaker vote nears

Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., tweeted a statement saying McCarthy has worked too often against conservative goals, from a balanced budget to a stringent border plan (items that McCarthy supporters say are impossible because of Democratic numbers in Congress).

“Kevin McCarthy had an opportunity to be Speaker of the House," Perry said. "He rejected it.”

Over the weekend, Perry promoted a letter of criticism of McCarthy signed by nine House Republicans – more than enough to deprive him of the majority the would-be speaker needs to prevail and possibly leading to a days-long struggle for GOP leadership.

– David Jackson

Meanwhile: Mitch McConnell becomes longest-serving Senate leader in history

While McCarthy struggles to become House Speaker, Senate counterpart Mitch McConnell enjoys smooth sailing into history this week – he becomes the longest serving party leader in Senate history.

McConnell surpasses Sen. Mike Mansfield, D-Montana, who served as Democratic leader from 1961 to 1977.

One downside for McConnell: He is still minority leader because the Republicans failed to win a Senate majority in last year's elections.

Former President Donald Trump and other conservatives – including outspoken opponents of McCarthy – had wanted to depose McConnell, but he easily beat back a challenge from Florida senator Rick Scott.

Also: McConnell has an interesting way to mark his record-setting week: He will spend time Wednesday with President Joe Biden, who is traveling to Kentucky for an infrastructure event.

– David Jackson

Who controls what in the 118th Congress?

Republicans secured control of the House following the 2022 midterms by winning 222 seats. Democrats won 212 seats. There is one vacancy due to the recent death of Virginia Democrat Donald McEachin.

In the Senate, Democrats have a narrower lead with 48 Democrats, 49 Republicans and three independents – two of whom/align themselves with Democrats, giving the party 50 Senate votes.

Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who announced last month she will be leaving the Democratic party and registering as an independent, said she will not caucus with Republicans but has not indicated if she will join her independent colleagues.

Democrats will still be able to break 50-50 ties with Vice President Kamala Harris, who can cast deciding votes in her role as Senate president.

- Rachel Looker

A new committee focused on China

Among priorities in the new Congress: China.

Earlier in December, McCarthy announced that Republicans will be establishing a new select committee on China with Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher, a former Marine and intelligence officer, at the helm as chairman.

“The Chinese Communist Party is the greatest geopolitical threat of our lifetime.” McCarthy said in a statement.

Growing competition with China has drawn bipartisan interest from Democrats and Republicans, and Gallagher has a history of working with Democrats on policy aimed at increasing competitiveness with China.

-- Ken Tran

What’s happening with committees?

Back in control of House committees, Republicans have already announced several matters they plan to investigate, including Hunter Biden and COVID-19 spending. House speaker hopeful Rep. Kevin McCarthy has also vowed to use the position to keep certain Democrats off of committees.

Senate Democrats gained more power in committees with Sen. Raphael Warnock’s win in Georgia last December. They have a chance to keep this edge despite Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's split from the party shortly after, as the Arizona Senator said at that time she plans to caucus with Democrats and maintain her committee positions.

- Savannah Kuchar

GOP tension builds over House speaker race as McCarthy and ...

CNN —

House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy and his critics are gearing up for a potential floor fight over the speakership in January, raising the possibility of a messy intraparty showdown that could bring uncertainty and chaos just as Republicans prepare to enter their new majority.

McCarthy still insists he will have the 218 votes needed to secure the speakership. Conservative hardliners seeking to plot McCarthy’s ouster say otherwise.

And what will happen if he can’t get 218 votes? No one knows.

“You can’t beat somebody with nobody, and there’s nobody else running,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson, a South Dakota Republican who supports McCarthy for speaker. “Even if there was another announced candidate, that person would not be better positioned to get 218 than Kevin.”

McCarthy’s foes say another candidate will emerge and that talks have already begun to recruit a replacement. Some of Kevin McCarthy’s detractors have asked whether Reps. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Jim Jordan of Ohio and Tom Emmer of Minnesota would be willing to jump into the race, according to GOP sources familiar with the informal conversations. But all three men have made clear they’re backing McCarthy for speaker and wouldn’t challenge him for the job.

It’s still not known what would happen on Jan. 3 if McCarthy cannot get 218 votes to be elected speaker. But there’s an expectation that any number of Republicans could throw their hat into the ring if McCarthy stumbles or drops out.

“There’s quality candidates who represent the conservative center of the Republican conference who are privately acknowledging that once it becomes clear it’s not going to Kevin McCarthy, they are interested in becoming speaker,” said Rep. Bob Good, a Virginia Republican who’s one of the handful of conservative hardliners publicly saying they are “hard no” votes against McCarthy. “And there are members who would excite the base, who would excite Republicans across the country, unite Republicans across the country as candidates, but they’re not going to raise their hand publicly until it’s clear to them that it’s not Kevin McCarthy.”

If McCarthy loses more than four GOP votes on January 3, he is expected to fall under the 218 votes he would need to claim the speakership. Then the House would keep voting until someone wins a majority of support from the members in attendance who are choosing a specific candidate and not voting “present.” If that happens, McCarthy insists he still won’t drop out.

“Oh yeah, I’ll take the speaker’s fight to the floor,” McCarthy told CNN.

McCarthy also said he was willing to go through as many rounds of voting on the floor as it takes, predicting: “I’ll get there.”

Meanwhile, the California Republican’s fiercest detractors are also digging in.

Members of the hardline House Freedom Caucus met with the chamber’s parliamentarian on Wednesday in order to get a briefing on the floor rules and procedures that dictate the process for the speakership vote. And some of McCarthy’s foes are reiterating their pledge to oppose him on the floor and calling on the GOP leader to drop out of the race now so they can start the search for a serious alternative.

Video Ad Feedback Analysis: One of Trump's biggest defenders thinks he has a chance to lead the RNC 04:02 - Source: CNN

“He can avoid it now,” said Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, a former co-chair of the Freedom Caucus who lost to McCarthy for his conference’s nomination to be speaker, of a potential floor fight. “He doesn’t have the votes. We can move to different candidates. I’m willing to entertain anyone else.”

The commitment from both camps to take the speakership battle to January is shaping up to be a political game of chicken, with both sides signaling they’re willing to call the other’s bluff. But most Republicans are hoping it won’t come to that, worrying it would set the wrong tone as they enter into power and prepare for a tough two years of governing while working to protect their narrow majority.

“I don’t want to see that happen. I can’t guarantee that not happening right now,” Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Trump ally who is backing McCarthy, said of a speaker showdown on the floor. “But the goal is to stop that from happening, to get everybody on the same page, and create unity so that we’re ready from day one.”

Added Tennessee Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, another McCarthy backer: “My hope is that we have unity and get this done on the first ballot, but we’ll see. … I’m hoping and praying for unity.”

Some Republicans think the hardliners are bluffing.

“Maybe they’re just trying to promote themselves a little bit?” said Rep. Greg Pence of Indiana, adding that conservative members’ views behind closed doors are more collegial than they may be publicly.

Asked if he could instead vote for McCarthy’s No. 2, Scalise, for speaker, Pence said: “I’m voting for Kevin McCarthy. He’s gonna win.”

Tension builds in GOP Conference

The last time a vote for speaker had to go to multiple ballots was in 1923. And the longest time in history it took to elect a speaker lasted two months, with a total of 133 ballots.

In recent weeks, part of McCarthy’s pitch to his critics has been that if they don’t unify, then Democrats could theoretically band together and peel off a few Republicans to elect the next speaker on the floor.

“Having a challenge on the floor is never going to be positive and really turn the floor over the Democrats,” McCarthy told reporters this week.

Biggs, however, brushed off that possibility. And most Republicans don’t see it as a serious threat, though they privately acknowledge the speaker’s race could go to multiple ballots.

“I don’t buy it,” Biggs said. “Name the Democrat that a Republican would vote for.”

Some moderates and mainstream Republicans are growing increasingly frustrated with their colleagues’ threats to cause chaos on the floor. And some of them have a warning of their own: if the vote goes to a second ballot or more, they plan to just keep voting for McCarthy – potentially foiling the anti-McCarthy group’s plans to force him out of contention in the hopes of getting lawmakers to rally around an alternative.

“Many of us are perturbed. We took a vote and McCarthy got 85%,” said Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon, who represents a district that Joe Biden carried in 2020, referring to the internal GOP election when Republicans backed McCarthy to be their nominee. “The right thing to do is coalesce around someone who has broad support. To do otherwise weakens the conference and hurts the team.”

A group of mainstream House Republicans, known as the Republican Governance Group, sent a letter to their GOP colleagues on Friday urging them to unite behind McCarthy for speaker and warning that a floor fight over choosing their next leader could undermine the GOP as they enter the majority.

“Such quarrels will only delay our ability to establish a working majority in the People’s House, which is critically important to successfully countering a Democrat-controlled Senate and Executive Branch,” the lawmakers wrote, according to a copy of the letter obtained by CNN. “But make no mistake, we will not allow this conference to be dragged down a path to a paralyzed House that weakens our hard-fought majority.”

The letter, which is signed by 21 Republicans, also notes that while Republicans won the House, voters handed them power “skeptically” – a nod to the fact they only will have a razor-thin majority next year.

Rep. Dave Joyce of Ohio, who chairs the Republican Governance Group, said in a statement to CNN: “This Conference cannot handcuff itself to a burning building before we gavel in the 118th Congress. We are the dealmakers without whom this legislative body cannot govern, and we intend to provide the American people with a working majority.”

So far, at least five House Republicans have vowed to oppose McCarthy for speaker – a problem for him since he likely can only afford to lose four GOP lawmakers – though some of them have expressed openness to negotiating.

McCarthy’s foes say he has a much bigger problem.

“Well, I think it’s a much larger number than people realize,” Good said of the McCarthy “no” votes. “My hope would be that more of them will start to come out publicly. So it just becomes increasingly clear that he doesn’t have the votes and we need to consider other candidates.”

Their efforts to recruit a viable alternative have been unsuccessful thus far. Scalise, McCarthy’s top deputy, has repeatedly said on the record he is supporting McCarthy and is looking forward to serving as majority leader next year.

Jordan, a McCarthy ally and co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus, told CNN he is not interested in the speaker’s gavel and just wants to be chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and wouldn’t entertain questions about a hypothetical scenario in which McCarthy can’t get the necessary support to secure the speaker’s gavel. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who has openly campaigned for Jordan to become speaker, told CNN he has asked Jordan to run “daily for two years.”

And Emmer, who will serve as majority whip next year, said in a statement that “There is no one more deserving to lead House Republicans than Kevin McCarthy and he has my full support. Kevin has earned that right by raising hundreds of millions of dollars and helping Republicans win seats in back-to-back cycles.”

To win over holdouts, McCarthy has brokered negotiations on potential rules changes designed to empower rank-and-file members, such as enabling members to offer more amendments and giving them more notice before fast-tracked bills come to the floor.

And McCarthy has also made public professions about what he would do as speaker, from dangling a potential impeachment inquiry over Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to threatening to investigate the House select committee investigating January 6, 2021 — both top priorities on the right.

“We’ve got a long way to go,” said Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry, the current Freedom Caucus chief. But he added: “I think there is a burgeoning realization and acknowledgment that this place is broken. That’s a start.”

This story has been updated with additional details.

Kevin McCarthy speakership: Gallagher signals confidence in ...

Washington CNN —

A Republican lawmaker on Sunday signaled confidence in House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy’s ability to capture the speakership and move forward even as a number of conservative hard-liners are threatening to upend his bid.

Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” that Republicans “will get there, and I’m not budging off my support of Speaker McCarthy.”

“We can’t spend all of January … mired in this internal battle. We need to populate various committees. There’s all sorts of work that needs to be done,” he said.

McCarthy is in a fight for the speakership, with five hard-line Republicans opposing his bid. With the House GOP holding 222 seats in the next Congress, the California Republican can only afford to lose the support of four members to secure the 218 votes he’d need to be elected speaker.

McCarthy has negotiated behind closed doors over chamber rules that his detractors are seeking to weaken the speakership, including allowing an individual member to call for a vote to oust the speaker. That’s something the McCarthy has resisted so far.

McCarthy said Friday that the five conservative holdouts – Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Bob Good of Virginia and Matt Rosendale of Montana – have not budged in their opposition to him and offered dire warnings that House Republicans’ hard-fought narrow majority could be derailed if they don’t bend.

Gallagher noted Sunday that House Republicans will “only have control of one chamber of government, but there’s a lot of things we can do.”

“It might take multiple votes series, but I believe we are going to get there. And the fact that Speaker McCarthy wants to do things like create a select committee on China, wants to make it bipartisan, I think is a testament to his prioritization in leading this next Congress,” he said.

Gallagher, whom McCarthy has appointed to chair the new select committee on China, also discussed Sunday his efforts in Congress on TikTok, saying he believes the video app should be banned in the United States.

A new bill introduced in Congress by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, including Gallagher, would “block and prohibit all transactions” in the United States by social media companies with at least 1 million monthly users that are based in, or under the “substantial influence” of, countries that are considered foreign adversaries, including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela.

“TikTok is owned by ByteDance, and ByteDance is effectively controlled by the Chinese Communist Party,” he said. “So the question we have to ask is whether we want to give the CCP the ability to track our location, track what websites we visit, even when we’re not using the TikTok app itself. And increasingly, since a large percentage of young Americans use TikTok to get their news, whether we want them to have the ability to selectively edit that news.”

Critics have said ByteDance could be compelled by Chinese authorities to hand over data pertaining to US citizens or to act as a channel for malign influence operations.

But, Gallagher stressed, he doesn’t want to link the Chinese Communist Party with the Chinese people.

“I view the Chinese Communist Party as an enemy of the United States. But it’s important that we don’t conflate the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese people,” he said. “I think that’s absolutely critical to our long-term competition with China, and I view the CCP in some ways as an enemy of its own people.”

Daniella Diaz Paul Leblanc
Daniella Diaz
Paul Leblanc

House Republicans brace for doomsday scenario if McCarthy falls ...

CNN —

As a right-wing faction threatens to tank his speakership ambitions, House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy delivered a promise: “I’ll never leave,” making clear he has no plans to drop out of the race even if the fight goes to many ballots on the floor.

“I’ll get 218,” McCarthy told CNN, referring to the votes he’d need to become House speaker.

But Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, a conservative hardliner who is challenging McCarthy to be the most powerful member of Congress, doubled down on his commitment to stop the California Republican’s ascension.

“I’m not bluffing,” Biggs told CNN on Thursday when asked if he would drop out.

With the increasing likelihood that the speaker’s race could go to multiple ballots – something that hasn’t happened since 1923 – McCarthy’s allies and foes alike are starting to quietly game out the next steps if he can’t get the necessary 218 votes on the first round and they move into uncharted territory.

Video Ad Feedback Bash asks Pelosi if McCarthy has what it takes to be House Speaker. See her response 02:37 - Source: CNN

McCarthy’s supporters are vowing to keep voting for him on multiple ballots, and GOP sources said there are early discussions about a floor strategy for that potential scenario, including whether to recess the House or let the votes keep rolling – no matter how long it takes.

To prevent that from happening, McCarthy and his team have been engaged in serious talks with a group of conservatives, including over potentially giving them influential committee assignments and more power to drive the legislative process. GOP sources said those negotiations are still early in the process and could ultimately end up giving the group some aspect of what the hardliners desperately want: additional power to seek a sitting speaker’s ouster with a vote on the floor.

Asked if he would drop out of the race if he doesn’t get 218 votes on the first ballot, Biggs refused to say.

“I’m not going to talk about hypotheticals,” said Biggs, who lost his conference’s nomination to become speaker last month after securing 31 votes.

But in the case of a doomsday scenario – where neither McCarthy nor Biggs can get 218 votes on January 3 and neither drops out – some pro-McCarthy Republicans are signaling support for a different approach. Some said they would be willing to work with Democrats to find a moderate Republican who can get the 218 votes to clinch the gavel – a long-shot idea that underscores the uncertainty looming over the speaker’s race.

“Our initial plan is vote for Kevin and let him fight this out repeatedly. … But if they think they’re going to use this to infinity to drive him out, well, we’re not going to bend to their will,” said Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican.

Bacon added if GOP hardliners don’t bend, then he would be willing to work with Democrats to find another more moderate Republican to secure the 218 votes to become speaker.

“If a small group refuses to play ball and be part of the team, then we’ll work across the aisle to find an agreeable Republican,” Bacon said. “But I hope we don’t get there.”

McCarthy’s detractors don’t buy it.

“There are very significant rules, changes being discussed that would open the House up, that would be transformative, that would give us the ability to actually legislate and represent our constituents,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida who said he’s a “hard no” on McCarthy. “And whoever is speaker is going to have to agree to those rules, I think. And I don’t think that person will be Kevin McCarthy because Kevin McCarthy won’t have 218 votes.”

Gaetz added: “I think the person who is ultimately going to be the speaker isn’t even the candidate yet.”

Indeed, the small group of Republicans known as the “Never Kevin” movement – confident that Biggs could not win a majority of the House – has been trying to recruit a viable alternative, and claim “several” Republicans have privately told them they would be interested in running if McCarthy drops out. Their goal with voting for Biggs is to show that McCarthy is weak on the first ballot, which they hope would inspire other candidates to jump in.

“How many members vote for someone else will show the strength (of the anti-McCarthy group),” Rep. Bob Good, a Virginia Republican who is a “hard no” on McCarthy, told CNN. “I think the second ballot is going to have more candidates. … There are already Republicans letting us know they’d like to be considered.”

Even House Republicans who are supporting McCarthy predicted that a number of lawmakers would run if McCarthy withdrew his name, with some saying that House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, McCarthy’s top deputy, would emerge as the front runner in that case.

“If at some point, if Kevin did take his name out, then you would have good people (running). Scalise would probably be the guy,” one GOP lawmaker said.

Scalise has repeatedly vowed to support McCarthy and refused to speculate on whether he would jump into the race if the GOP leader can’t get the votes.

“No, I’m not going to get into speculation,” Scalise told CNN. “Obviously, our focus is on getting it resolved by January 3. And there’s a lot of conversations that everybody has been having, Kevin, surely, with the members who have expressed concerns.”

Rep. Jim Jordan, the conservative set to become the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, went even further, ruling out jumping into the race even though Gaetz and other hardliners have urged him to seek the speakership.

“No,” Jordan said when asked if he’d run if McCarthy couldn’t get the votes. “I want to chair the Judiciary Committee.”

McCarthy’s weighs more concessions

With 222 GOP seats next year, McCarthy can only afford to lose four Republican votes and still win the speakership. But he and his team are still hopeful he can win on the first round as he has been working both publicly and privately to win over holdouts. So far, at least five Republicans have promised to oppose him on the floor – but in a positive sign for McCarthy, one of them has shown he’s gettable.

“I will vote for Andy for speaker, subject to what we’re discussing,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, a South Carolina Republican after leaving a meeting in McCarthy’s office on Wednesday. He later added: “All this is positive. We’re having good change, regardless of what happens. And you’ll see more of it.”

In addition to those five, a new group of seven Republican hardliners on Thursday laid out a list of conditions to earn their vote, although they did not specifically threaten to vote against McCarthy if their demands aren’t met.

Video Ad Feedback GOP lawmaker explains why he won't vote for McCarthy to become House Speaker 03:08 - Source: CNN

Their list of demands – which shows the work McCarthy needs to do to get to 218 – includes a promise that leaders won’t play in primaries, restoring the motion to vacate the speaker’s chair, placing more conservatives on key committees, giving members at least 72 hours to read bill text before a vote, and committing to using the debt ceiling as a bargaining chip to demand more spending cuts, according to a copy of the letter obtained by CNN.

McCarthy has already begun brokering some rules changes to empower rank-and-file members, created a new select committee on China, vowed to boot some Democratic lawmakers from their committees, and sketched out in greater detail his investigative plans – including a potential impeachment inquiry into Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

But McCarthy still has additional levers he could pull. Conservative hardliners are pushing for more representation on the powerful House Rules Committee, a leadership-aligned panel that decides how and when bills come to the floor. In one private meeting with a member of the House Freedom Caucus, McCarthy was urged to take a harder public stance on the coming policy issues for next year, according to a person familiar with the matter.

And the anti-McCarthy group is also still pressing for a process that would allow any single member to hold a floor vote on ousting the sitting speaker, which was wielded over former Speaker John Boehner before he was forced out of the job by the far right in 2015.

McCarthy has been adamantly opposed to restoring the “motion to vacate the chair,” and a majority of the House GOP voted against the idea during a during a closed-door meeting last month. When asked by CNN on Thursday if he would visit the issue, McCarthy laughed and refused to answer.

But McCarthy’s detractors said it’s an issue very much still on the table and think he may end up needing to embrace it if he still doesn’t have the speaker votes by January 3. GOP sources told CNN there’s potential room to negotiate to give members more power to call for a vote to oust the speaker – perhaps by allowing the vote to occur if a certain number of members call for one, rather than allowing a single lawmaker to call for a vote as the hardliners want.

“A competent secure leader is not threatened by (the motion to vacate),” Good said. “And so, yeah, that I think that’s central to many members.”

Yet others said what Good and his allies are seeking is a recipe for chaos — and are calling on their colleagues to fall in line.

“I think that’s one of the reasons that we didn’t see a red wave … the idea that people are sick and tired of the noise, and they’re sick and tired of the fighting,” Rep. David Joyce, an Ohio Republican, said of the impact of a January 3 floor fight. “And I know I get that wherever I go in my district is, ‘why can’t you guys just get things done?’”

As McCarthy scrambles to lock down speaker’s votes, he also delayed the GOP’s internal elections for committee chairmanships. There was some speculation that one of the members competing for a gavel, Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida, may retire early if he doesn’t win, which would make McCarthy’s math problem even tougher. But Buchanan vehemently disputed the notion.

“It’s ridiculous, laughable,” he told reporters. “I’m doing everything I can to help get Kevin to 218.”

McCarthy could also try to convince Democrats or his GOP detractors to vote present or not show up to the floor proceedings, which would lower the threshold he needs to become speaker. But McCarthy promised his GOP colleagues he would not court Democratic votes.

Could Democrats join Republicans and select a speaker?

In recent weeks, part of McCarthy’s pitch to his critics has been warning that if they don’t unify, then Democrats could theoretically band together and peel off a few Republicans to elect the next speaker.

Some Democrats have said they would entertain the idea, including Rep. Henry Cuellar, a moderate Democrat from Texas who told CNN some of his GOP colleagues have approached him “informally” about it.

Joyce also said some members have reached out to him about potentially running, but he dismissed it. “At the end of the day, Kevin’s going to be the new speaker.”

New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the next House Democratic leader, said, “there are no behind-the-scenes conversations” that he has had with Republicans to put up an alternative candidate. But he refused to rule out a scenario where his caucus would help elect the next speaker if McCarthy couldn’t get the votes.

Video Ad Feedback Hear if Hakeem Jeffries would be willing to help Kevin McCarthy 02:25 - Source: CNN

“Democrats are in the process of organizing the Democratic Conference,” Jeffries told CNN on Thursday. “Republicans are in the process of organizing the Republican Conference. Let’s see what happens on January 3.”

Some of the potential consensus picks that have been floated included retiring Reps. Fred Upton of Michigan and John Katko of New York, who both voted to impeach Donald Trump for inciting the Capitol insurrection; Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus; and Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole, a veteran lawmaker and incoming head of the House Rules Committee.

But that would require agreement from every single Democrat and the help of five Republicans – no easy feat. Upton said he has no plans to be in Washington that day, telling CNN: “I’ll be skiing.”

And progressives like Rep. Jamaal Bowman of New York said they would never vote for a GOP speaker candidate, no matter how moderate.

“No,” Bowman said, indicating he’d be voting for Jeffries on every ballot on January 3. “It’s going to be Hakeem.”

But Republican Rep. Bruce Westerman said this has happened before – nearly a decade ago in his state where minority Democrats in the Arkansas legislature joined forces with a handful of Republicans to elect a GOP speaker of their choice. Westerman privately made this case to his colleagues at a closed-door meeting this week.

“I’m concerned about January 3 getting here and us not being able to form a Congress and organize committees and getting delayed in pushing the policy objectives that we want to push,” Westerman said.

Westerman added that the discussion over changing House rules is good for the party. But he added: “I’m not really excited about any type of destructive movement.”

Manu Raju Melanie Zanona
Manu Raju
Melanie Zanona

Kevin McCarthy: GOP hardliners ratchet up demands amid calls for ...

Washington CNN —

The GOP fight for House speaker intensified on Monday with a group of incoming chairmen demanding that their party fall in line behind House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy – and his conservative critics pushing back.

McCarthy, who lacks the 218 votes to become speaker on January 3 amid opposition from at least five House Republicans, has moved for the past several weeks to try to win them over with deal-cutting and potential rules changes to empower rank-and-file members.

But they have yet to commit to backing him, prompting a growing public pressure campaign from GOP leaders, his staunchest allies and former President Donald Trump to unite ahead of the crucial vote. If McCarthy loses more than four GOP votes, he would be denied the 218 votes he needs to win the speakership, meaning the race could go to multiple ballots for the first time since 1923. It’s unclear what would happen if the fight persists.

The uncertainty has prompted a growing push by McCarthy allies to warn that a messy fight would undermine the majority they spent four years to win back.

“Let us not squander this majority before we even take back the gavels,” the incoming chairs wrote in a letter on Monday. “Time is of the essence, and the American people want us to get to work now. Majorities are earned, never given – and the American people will remember how we choose to begin ours.”

But some were not moved – including Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Trump ally who has vowed to deny McCarthy the 218 votes to win the speakership.

“I will be for Trump for President, but I will not follow him in supporting Kevin McCarthy for Speaker,” Gaetz said in an interview with conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Republican of Colorado, has not yet said if she will vote for McCarthy. But she has demanded that the House rules be changed so that one individual member can call for a vote to push for the ouster of a sitting speaker – known on Capitol Hill as a “motion to vacate.” She suggested that issue is a red line for her.

“You cannot demand more responsibility without accountability. From the beginning I have said my hardline is vacate the chair. We have to have an accountability mechanism on the speaker of the House,” Boebert said on the same program. “This is third in command for the presidency of the United States of America and we are going to strip away the one check and balance members of Congress have on the Speaker of the House?”

McCarthy has signaled a willingness to negotiate on that issue, but neither he nor many of his allies are willing to go as far as hardliners like Boebert want, warning it would lead to chaos in the chamber.

If Boebert comes out opposed to McCarthy, she would join the five other GOP dissidents – Gaetz, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Bob Good of Virginia and Matt Rosendale of Montana.

The five GOP members have warned they may vote as a bloc on January 3, meaning they’ll all vote the same way. Biggs, who secured 31 votes when he lost the GOP nomination for speaker against McCarthy last month, has told CNN he’s “not bluffing” and plans to run for speaker when the full House votes next month. That would give the opposition a candidate to support in protest of McCarthy.

Biggs has refused to say whether he would continue to stay in the race if it went to multiple ballots.

Manu Raju Lauren Fox
Manu Raju
Lauren Fox

What to know about upcoming House leadership elections | CNN ...

CNN —

A new Congress won’t be sworn in until January and control of the House has not yet been determined, but Republicans appear on track to recapture the chamber and the race to determine who will serve as the next speaker is underway.

House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy has officially declared his bid for the speakership, but is already facing headwinds from members of the hardline, pro-Trump House Freedom Caucus who are threatening to withhold their support as they hope to extract concessions.

On the Democratic side, Nancy Pelosi, the current House speaker, has not yet made clear what her next move will be. Speculation has intensified in Washington over her political future and whether she will run again for the top leadership spot for House Democrats or if she will instead decide to step aside as a new generation of potential leaders waits in the wings.

Timing for internal GOP leadership elections – and the speaker vote

The vote to elect the next speaker will take place in January at the start of the new Congress, but House Republicans will hold their internal leadership elections to pick a Speaker nominee this week.

Republicans are scheduled to hold a candidate forum on Monday evening, followed by leadership elections on Tuesday, November 15, according to a copy of the schedule shared with CNN.

The elections are conducted behind closed doors and are done via secret ballot. In the GOP’s internal leadership elections, McCarthy only needs a simple majority to win his party’s nomination for speaker. That is expected to happen, but McCarthy could still fall short of 218 votes – the magic number needed to win the speaker’s gavel in January.

During that speaker vote, McCarthy will have a higher hurdle to clear. The full House holds a vote on the floor for Speaker and to win, a candidate needs to win a majority of all members, which amounts to 218 votes if no member skips the vote or votes “present.”

When will Democrats hold their election?

House Democrats will hold their internal leadership elections later – the week after Thanksgiving.

House Democratic leadership elections have been announced for Wednesday, November 30. Voting will take place behind closed doors via secret ballot using an app.

To be elected to any position in Democratic leadership, a candidate needs to win a majority among those present and voting. If more than two candidates run and no one wins a majority, the candidate with the fewest votes after the first round of voting will be eliminated and voting will proceed to a second round. That process continues until one candidate wins a majority.

Whoever is elected for the top leadership spot in the House Democratic caucus would serve as their party’s Speaker nominee. But if Republicans have a majority, that nominee would be expected to fall short in the vote by the full House in the Speaker’s election in January and would be poised to become House Minority Leader instead.

The first election on November 30 will be for the next House Democratic Caucus Chair and whoever is elected to that role will administer the rest of the leadership elections.

Who to watch in GOP leadership elections

McCarthy has been working the phones locking down support from across the conference and has received former President Donald Trump’s endorsement. But even if he becomes his party’s speaker nominee, as is expected, he could still face a rocky road to securing the gavel.

Members of the pro-Trump House Freedom Caucus are threatening to withhold support for McCarthy’s speakership bid and have begun to lay out their list of demands, putting the California Republican’s path to securing 218 votes in peril if the party ultimately takes the House with a slim majority. Members of the caucus are emboldened by the likelihood of a narrow House GOP majority – which would make the margins for McCarthy’s vote math tight.

McCarthy and his team are confident he will ultimately get the votes to be speaker. And two would-be challengers, Reps. Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise, the current House GOP whip, have lined up behind his speakership bid.

But if enough members of the Freedom Caucus withhold their support, it could imperil his speaker bid or force him to make deals to weaken the speakership, something he has long resisted.

CNN reported Sunday that Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, a former chairman of the pro-Trump House Freedom Caucus, is considering mounting a long-shot challenge to McCarthy, according to GOP sources familiar with the matter. McCarthy’s team has been prepared for this possibility.

If a challenger does emerge, it would be more of a protest candidate than a serious one. But the House Freedom Caucus is hoping to show McCarthy during the internal GOP leadership elections that he doesn’t have the floor votes for speaker, in hopes of forcing him to the negotiating table.

Republican races besides leader of the party

Aside from the speaker’s race, Republicans’ underwhelming performance in the midterms has scrambled other leadership races.

The race for House GOP whip – a position that will only open up if Republicans win the majority – was already competitive, though Rep. Tom Emmer, who chairs the House GOP’s campaign arm, was seen as having the edge since he was likely to be rewarded if they had a strong night.

Now, Republicans say it could be tougher for Emmer to pull out a win.

Emmer told reporters Tuesday he still plans to run and that he doesn’t know if a smaller majority impacts his bid. But his pitch to members is similar to McCarthy’s, saying: “we delivered.”

Meanwhile, Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana, a Trump ally and the head of the conservative Republican Study Committee, also officially declared his candidacy for the whip’s position. And Rep. Drew Ferguson of Georgia, the current deputy whip, is also vying for the post, arguing that his experience on the whip’s team will be even more valuable in a slimmer majority, where the chief vote counting job will be crucial for governing.

Who to watch: Nancy Pelosi

What happens in Democratic leadership elections revolves around the key question of what Pelosi decides to do.

Pelosi was asked by CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union” on Sunday whether she would make a decision on running for leadership before the party’s leadership elections.

“Of course. Well, you know that I’m not asking anybody – people are campaigning, and that’s a beautiful thing,” the California Democrat told Bash. “And I’m not asking anyone for anything. My members are asking me to consider doing that. But, again, let’s just get through the election.”

If Pelosi decides to run again for the top leadership spot for House Democrats, it will make clear that she is not yet ready to relinquish her role atop the House Democratic caucus. Pelosi, a towering figure in Democratic politics, commands widespread support among her members and is viewed as an effective leader within her party.

But if she runs again for leadership, such a move would also likely surprise, and even frustrate, many in Washington, including members of her own party, who have been anticipating that she might step aside for a new generation of leadership to take the reins.

If Pelosi does not run for the top leadership post, it would set the stage for a major shakeup in House Democratic leadership and mark the end of an era for Washington. The move would kick off a fight for her successor that could expose divisions within the party as other prominent members of the party look to move up the leadership ladder.

Pelosi’s future freezes much of the Democratic races

Until Pelosi makes her announcement, much of the rest of the field is expected to remain essentially frozen in place.

Currently, Maryland Rep. Steny Hoyer serves as the No. 2 House Democrat, in the role of House majority leader, and South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn serves in the role of House majority whip. Massachusetts Rep. Katherine Clark serves in the role of assistant Speaker and New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries serves as House Democratic caucus chair.

As potential candidates for the higher rungs of House Democratic leadership wait to see what Pelosi does before publicly making moves, some Democrats vying for other positions in their party’s leadership have already announced their candidacy.

Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse of Colorado, who currently serves as the co-chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, has announced his run for caucus chair to replace Jeffries who is term limited.

The race to lead the party’s campaign arm, DCCC chair, is starting to take shape up after the current chair Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York lost his reelection.

Democratic Rep. Tony Cardenas of California announced his race for the spot on Friday but others are being floated as well including Reps. Ami Bera and Sara Jacobs of California.

Clare Foran Melanie Zanona Annie Grayer
Clare Foran
Melanie Zanona
Annie Grayer

Recap: Kevin McCarthy's bid to be House speaker hits third day

WASHINGTON –The House of Representatives made dubious history Thursday, failing on the 11th ballot to elect a speaker as an acrimonious stalemate that has paralyzed the chamber dragged on. That's the most ballots cast in this normally pro forma election since before the Civil War.

The House adjourned Thursday night until noon Friday, hoping to buy more time for negotiations as GOP lawmakers expressed muted optimism that a deal was getting closer with a rebellious Republican faction to install GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy in return for significant concessions.

"It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish," a relaxed McCarthy told reporters after the adjournment. "If we finish well, we'll be very successful."

McCarthy has now failed in 11 ballots since Tuesday, as a solid core of some 20 Republicans say they will continue to oppose him because he is too much a part of the establishment. A 12th ballot could take place as early as noon Friday.

"We’re at a Reagan moment — “trust but verify," tweeted Pennsylvania Republican Scott Perry, one of the 20. "The devil is in the details, and we’ll take our time to ensure it’s right, not easy. One way or another, the status quo must go."

In the meantime, the House remains without a speaker, leaving members-elect unable to do much beyond voting on McCarthy's fate and answering phones from constituents they can't help yet. They can't form committees, conduct hearings or demand federal agencies answer their requests for assistance.

GOP opponents have sunk his attempts to get enough votes to win the job. The efforts to forge a compromise could weaken the job — if he gets it — and show that governing the Republican-led House is going to be challenging this year, with infighting consuming what's been a simple one-ballot vote for the past hundred years.

Day 3 takeaways:Speaker stalemate drags on as 'never Kevin' Republicans say they can't trust Kevin McCarthy

McCarthy has failed to meet the threshold needed to become speaker for a series of ballots since Tuesday.

Smart analysis delivered to your inbox:Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter

Here are the latest developments:

Back again: The House convened after a night and morning of talks among McCarthy, his allies and his enemies, including the prospect of concessions from McCarthy that would give Republican rebels more power in the new Congress.

A McCarthy comeback? McCarthy has been nominated a total of 10 times (three each on Tuesday and Wednesday and four times on Thursday - so far). The Republican was the frontrunner for the speakership, but a bloc of Republicans have refused to back the California representative.

What will happen on day three? Members will continue to vote. The vote will last until a speaker is selected. The House remains paralyzed with members-elect not sworn in, lacking security clearances and the lower chamber remains unable to conduct any legislative business.

Day one:House adjourns without a new speaker as McCarthy loses three rounds of voting

Day two:'Groundhog Day': House adjourns without a speaker as McCarthy loses round six

House divided over speaker's job votes to adjourn - barely

For the second night in a row, an angry and closely divided House voted to adjourn by only a very few votes, as Republicans sought more time to reach a deal on the speaker's job.

As lawmakers shouted at each other, Republicans won a mostly party-line vote over Democrats by a margin of 219-213.

On Wednesday night, Democratic objections to adjournment forced a vote that passed by only 216-214.

– David Jackson

Yet again, votes for speaker split among several nominees

GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy has once again failed to obtain the number of votes needed to win the speakership in the fifth ballot of the day and eleventh ballot since Tuesday.

McCarthy again received 200 votes (same as the last ballot), falling 18 votes behind the number needed for the speakership. Florida GOP Rep. Byron Donalds received 12 votes, one fewer than the last ballot; Oklahoma GOP Rep. Kevin Hern again received seven votes and former president Donald Trump received one vote from Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz. One member voted present.

All 212 Democrats backed Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries once again but that's enough for him to win.

- Rachel Looker

McCarthy loses fifth ballot of day

GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy appears to have failed once again to obtain the number of votes needed to win the speakership in the fifth ballot of the day. This is the 11th ballot held since Tuesday and the fifth on Thursday alone.

Amid reports that negotiations on a resolution are heating up, it's unclear whether the House will proceed to a 12th ballot or adjourn until Friday.

- Rachel Looker

Eleventh ballot for speaker gets underway

The House headed into an 11th ballot for speaker – the fifth ballot today – with no end in sight.

Arkansas Republican Rep. French Hill nominated McCarthy again for the 11th ballot and also expressed gratitude towards the Clerk of the House, Cheryl Johnson for facilitating the votes, getting a standing ovation from all members on the floor.

On the Democratic side, Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse, unsurprisingly, nominated Jeffries again. Neguse praised Jeffries as “the man who has been the lead vote getter ten times and counting to be the speaker of the House.”

Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz, formally nominated former President Donald Trump for the first time after voting for him earlier today on the seventh ballot, saying Trump could “make the House of Representatives great again.”

And Virginia GOP Rep. Bob Good nominated Oklahoma GOP Rep. Kevin Hern again as a candidate “against the status quo.”

- Ken Tran

Same as before: Historic tenth vote changes little for McCarthy

The historic tenth ballot for House speaker – the first such vote since just before the Civil War – produced results similar to the first nine.

McCarthy carried 200 votes, 18 short of the majority he needs to win the speaker's race.

Byron Donalds received 13 votes and Kevin Hern took seven, a decrease for Donalds and an increase for Hern over previous ballots. Republican Victoria Spartz again voted "present."

As with the previous nine ballots, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries took all 212 votes from his party.

As members voted, leaders met in private to negotiate some way out of this.

However it works, there will have to be an 11th vote, at least.

– David Jackson

How the process works:What happens after McCarthy loses multiple speaker votes? We explain

McCarthy appears to lose again, this time in the double digits

In the House’s tenth ballot for speaker, McCarthy has appeared to lose again, for the tenth time.

Despite multiple concessions today made to his opponents, there has still been next to no movement in the vote counts. The Republican holdouts remain adamant in their opposition to the California Republican.

Today marks the most times the House has voted on a speaker this week at four ballots. Next up, possibly an eleventh ballot or a motion to adjourn.

-- Ken Tran

Who is the House GOP leader?:Kevin McCarthy was once rejected for a House internship. Now he could become the next speaker

Who is Kevin Hern?

The latest Kevin McCarthy dissident to be nominated for House speaker is a former Oklahoma businessman who was first elected in 2018 and has built a reputation as a reliable Republican conservative.

Rep. Kevin Hern, who was put into nomination by Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., owned some two dozen McDonald's franchises before entering politics. He won a 2018 special election to replace Rep. Jim Bridenstine, who had resigned to become NASA administrator.

The new chairman of the Republican Study Committee, Hern said this week that "strong conservative leadership has never been more important than today."

– David Jackson

How the process works:What happens after McCarthy loses multiple speaker votes? We explain

When did the House take multiple ballots to elect a speaker?

Boebert nominates Hern as House votes a 10th time

Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert again nominated Rep. Kevin Hern for speaker, his third nomination of the day.

The House has voted four times Thursday, as the GOP continues to negotiate behind the scenes as to who will hold the speaker’s gavel in the Republican-held House.

--Candy Woodall

McCarthy standoff:A visual guide to a House speaker deadlock not seen for a century

Luna nominates Donalds in 10th round of voting

Rep.-elect Anna Paulina Luna of Florida nominated Rep. Byron Donalds in the 10th round of voting, telling Democrats they will never hold the gavel in a House with a Republican majority.

In short remarks, she also said 10 votes for speaker did not indicate dysfunction.

--Candy Woodall

Who is Byron Donalds?:Meet Republicans' alternative to Kevin McCarthy in House speaker vote

Aguilar nominates Jeffries for the tenth ballot

Aguilar returned to the podium to nominate Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries for the tenth ballot for speaker but not before commending Rep.-elect Juan Ciscomani’s nomination speech and earning a standing ovation from all members on the House floor.

“It is our hope that this chamber gets down to the business so he (Ciscomani) and all the new members in this chamber can be sworn in to do the work of the people,” said Aguilar to applause from Democrats and Republicans alike.

“That’s why House Democrats stand united again on this ballot to make sure that Hakeem Jeffries is the lead vote getter in this chamber,” Aguilar said.

-- Ken Tran

Who is Jeffries?:What to know about the Brooklyn Rep. set to replace Pelosi

Ciscomani nominates McCarthy in 10th nomination

Rep.-elect Juan Ciscomani of Arizona nominated Rep. Kevin McCarthy in his 10th attempt to win the speakership.

The nomination launched the fourth vote Thursday after no candidate in either party received enough votes to become House speaker.

The 10th ballot marked the most rounds needed to elect a speaker since just before the Civil War.

-- Candy Woodall

How the process works:What happens after McCarthy loses multiple speaker votes? We explain

The ninth vote: McCarthy loses a vote, now at 200

The third vote Thursday – ninth overall – saw a very slight loss for Kevin McCarthy, who fell from 201 votes to 200 because of an absent member.

McCarthy's Republican opponents again split up their votes: 17 for Byron Donalds and three for Kevin Hern. Republican Victoria Spartz once again voted "present."

No votes for Donald Trump this time around.

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries again claimed 212 votes from his party.

On to a 10th ballot, the most since just before the civil war.

– David Jackson

Who is the House GOP leader?:Kevin McCarthy was once rejected for a House internship. Now he could become the next speaker

House breaks 100-year-old record in ninth vote

Rep. Kevin McCarthy appeared to lose a ninth time in his bid for speaker, with the House breaking a 100-year-old record set in 1923 when it took nine rounds of voting to pick a winner.

McCarthy’s run for speaker appears to have been blocked nine times by 20 conservative members who say he’s not conservative enough and they don’t trust him.

The House GOP leader and his 200 allies continued to talk with his detractors throughout the rounds of voting today.

McCarthy’s run marks the third time since 1856 that a speaker wasn’t elected on the first ballot.

It took late Reps. Frederick Gillett, R-Mass., nine rounds to win in 1923 and Nathaniel Banks 133 rounds to win in 1856.

--Candy Woodall

What can the House do without a speaker?:Occupy offices, field calls, talk. Not much else.

Boebert makes a surprise fourth nomination: Kevin Hern

GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert made a surprise fourth nomination right after the clerk prepared to start roll call on the ninth ballot, nominating Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern.

“We have been accused of not having a plan while we have presented many many plans and even presenting two plans simultaneously right now,” said Boebert. “I’m voting for Kevin Hern, the gentleman from Oklahoma.”

On the eighth ballot for speaker, Boebert, along with Oklahoma Rep.-elect Josh Brechen voted for Hern.

-- Ken Tran

Republican House control:Despite a poor midterm, the GOP cobbled enough wins to flip the House. How did they do it?

McCarthy dissidents nominate Donalds again

Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., became the latest GOP member to nominate Florida Rep. Byron Donalds for the speaker’s gavel. The Florida lawmaker emerged as an alternative speaker candidate during Wednesday’s votes.

Rosendale told his colleagues that it was a “privilege” to serve with them despite their differences in opinions, before touting the debate the chamber has had over electing a speaker as healthy.

“We have had more discussion and debate over the last three days than I have participated in on this floor for the last two years. And it’s healthy,” Rosendale said. “It absolutely promotes the collegiality that everyone is trying to obtain.”

-- Sarah Elbeshbishi

How the process works:What happens after McCarthy loses multiple speaker votes? We explain

Jeffries nominated again for the ninth time

Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif, nominated Jeffries for the ninth time on behalf of House Democrats.

“Democrats stand united and ready to get to work on behalf of the American people under the leadership of Hakeem Jeffries,” said Lieu. "Vote after vote, nomination after nomination, Democrats are united."

House Democrats have unanimously backed Jeffries for the speakership for the past eight ballots with Jeffries earning 212 votes in all of them.

-- Ken Tran

Nehls gives McCarthy ninth nomination

Rep. Troy Nehls nominated Rep. Kevin McCarthy for a ninth time in the GOP leader’s bid to be speaker.

McCarthy has been blocked eight times by 20 conservative members who make up about 10% of the caucus.

If McCarthy loses on the ninth ballot, he will tie a 100-year-old record currently owned by late Rep. Frederick Gillett, R-Mass., who won his speaker bid in 1923 after nine rounds of voting.

-- Candy Woodall

Stuck in a moment: McCarthy does not pick up votes on the 8th ballot

The eighth ballot went no better for McCarthy, as the official House tally shows him still stuck on 201 votes.

Today's votes are taking on a pro forma quality, taking up time as Republicans negotiate in private.

This round did see a few changes among McCarthy's opponents.

While 17 dissidents again voted for Bryon Donalds,: Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma received two votes, and Donald Trump got one. Republican Victoria Spartz again voted "present."

Per usual, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries took all 212 votes from his party.

On to a 9th ballot, the first such vote in a century.

– David Jackson

More:Kevin McCarthy was once rejected for a House internship. Now he could become the next speaker

McCarthy close to breaking record

Rep. Kevin McCarthy is close to tying a 100-year record he doesn’t want to own.

After eight consecutive losses in his bid for House speaker, McCarthy could match the nine voting rounds it took Frederick Gillett, R-Mass., to win the position in 1923.

Anything beyond and he’d eclipse that historic record.

The most votes it took to elect a speaker was in 1856 when Republican Rep. Nathaniel Banks won after 133 rounds of voting.

McCarthy’s bid marks the third time in history a speaker wasn’t elected on the first ballot.

-- Candy Woodall

Explained:What happens after McCarthy loses multiple speaker votes? Here's how the process works.

McCarthy appears to lose speakership again, for the eighth time

For the eighth time, McCarthy appears to have lost his bid for the speakership.

After the seventh ballot, the House immediately moved to an eighth ballot, but there has been very little movement so far among McCarthy’s detractors.

It is unclear if the House will move to a ninth vote or adjourn.

- Ken Tran

Boebert votes for another Kevin as House speaker

No not that Kevin.

Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who staunchly opposes Kevin McCarthy as speaker, voted instead for Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, who wasn’t officially nominated for the speaker bid.

It was the first vote for Hern and the first time in two days Boebert switched her vote from Rep. Byron Donalds.

--Candy Woodall

Biggs, former speaker candidate, nominates Donalds

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., a McCarthy opponent who was a candidate for speaker at the start of the week, gave the latest nominating speech for Byron Donalds – but spent most of it attacking President Joe Biden and the Democrats.

Biggs criticized Democrats for mocking the Republicans' failures to elect a speaker, though some GOP members have also showed disdain for how things are going.

The Arizona Republican said he and allies want a change.

"We're on a sub-optimal path,' Biggs said. "It has to change."

– David Jackson

Democrats nominate Jeffries for the eighth ballot

Democrats changed things around for the eighth ballot with Democratic minority whip Rep. Katherine Clark nominating Jeffries to the speakership for the eighth time. California Democratic Rep. Pete Aguilar had handled the previous seven nominating speeches.

Clark opened her nominating speech by saying “212” seven times, referring to Jeffries’ vote count in the past seven ballots where he earned unanimous support from House Democrats.

“Two hundred twelve House Democrats stand united behind our leader because Hakeem Jeffries stands united for the American people,” said Clark, pointing out how the House has yet to conduct business without a speaker. “The historic dysfunction we are seeing, this intra-party fight the American people have been drawn into is imperiling our national security.”

- Ken Tran

Gallagher: Biggest roadblock for McCarthy ‘basic trust’

GOP Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin told reporters outside the House floor Thursday that McCarthy has made a “persuasive case” with the concessions he has agreed upon.

“The biggest roadblock, I don't know I mean (it) seems to be just basic trust,” he said.

“This is sort of weird,” he continued. “We started off with two people (running for speaker), now we have like 13.”

- Rachel Looker

Ballot 8 begins: McCarthy is nominated again

The House quickly moved to an eighth speaker vote, though there is no end in sight.

Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., nominated McCarthy by calling for party unity, and noted that Congress cannot do basic functions as long as this deadlock remains, such as declare war in case of attack. Mast, a veteran, choked up when discussing the sacrifices that so many Americans have made over the years.

McCarthy "will give us an opportunity to right the course," Mast told fellow Republicans, but there's still no evidence he has the votes to prevail.

– David Jackson

'More difficult to trust’: GOP members lack faith in McCarthy

As the House wrapped up its seventh failed ballot to elect a speaker, Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry, a key voice against electing House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy as speaker, went to Twitter to reaffirm his unyielding position.

“A deal is NOT done,” Perry wrote. “When confidences are betrayed and leaks are directed, it’s even more difficult to trust. Totally unsat. I will not yield to the status quo.”

Perry also reiterated his lack of trust in McCarthy, referring to the leaked list of concessions from McCarthy to the House Freedom Caucus.

- Sarah Elbeshbishi

Official tally: McCarthy stuck on 201 votes – and Trump gets one vote

The first speaker vote of Thursday yielded the same basic result as the first six ballots over the past two days: Kevin McCarthy doesn't have the numbers to become speaker.

The Republican leader again recorded 201 votes, according to the official House tally. This despite overnight negotiations in which McCarthy forces talked about various concessions to his opponents.

Anti-McCarthy Republicans voted for someone else. One, Matt Gaetz, cast his ballot for Donald Trump, even though the ex-president has repeatedly said he is not interested in the job and has in fact endorsed McCarthy.

Nineteen other Republicans again voted for Byron Donalds. Another Republican, Victoria Spartz, again voted "present."

As with the six previous votes, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries led the field with 212 votes, but he and his party lack the majority needed to make him speaker.

– David Jackson

Who is McCarthy?:Kevin McCarthy was once rejected for a House internship. Now he could become the next speaker

Trump gets his first vote for speaker

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who promoted Donald Trump for speaker of the House last year, followed through Thursday and cast a vote for the ex-president.

Technically, the speaker of the House does not have to be a member of Congress, but Trump has repeatedly said he is not interested in the job; instead, he has endorsed McCarthy and urged Gaetz and others to drop their opposition to the Republican leader.

It is Trump's first vote in the seven ballots the House has cast in a futile effort to elect a speaker.

– David Jackson

How the process works:What happens after McCarthy loses multiple speaker votes? We explain

McCarthy poised to lose seventh House speaker vote

Day three, ballot seven and still no speaker.

House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy appeared to lose his seventh bid as he failed to reach the threshold required to win the speaker’s gavel.

The House adjourned Wednesday night until noon Thursday, buying McCarthy more time to secure the 218 votes he needs to be elected speaker. However, the effort has fallen short.

-- Sarah Elbeshbishi

"He ain't no prop:" McCarthy opponents again nominate Byron Donalds

Once again, opponents of McCarthy are again nominating Byron Donalds.

Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., said with Donalds the House has the chance to elect the first Black speaker in history, and he attacked Democrats who said that the Florida Republican is only a "prop" for the anti-McCarthy forces.

"He ain't no prop," Bishop said.

– David Jackson

Byron Donalds for speaker?:Republicans nominate McCarthy alternative in House speaker vote

Biden following with 'attention'

President Joe Biden was asked at the end of his border security event if he's still monitoring the speaker's race. "I'm following it with great...how can I say it?" he said, looking to the vice president for help.

"Attention," Vice President Harris said with a chuckle.

A smiling Biden repeated her. "Attention," he said.

-- Francesca Chambers

'Stay where you are':President Biden unveils new steps to curb surge of migrants, plans trip to El Paso border

Aguilar nominates Jeffries again

House Democratic Chair Pete Aguilar nominated House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries for a seventh time on Thursday afternoon.

“There is no victory in a journey without doing the business of the people,” Aguilar said.

His comments came on the third day of voting without a speaker chosen by a clear majority.

Jeffries has repeatedly had 212 votes – the full support of his caucus – while the GOP has failed to unite around one leader.

-- Candy Woodall

Who is Hakeem Jeffries?:What to know about the Brooklyn Rep. set to replace Pelosi

McCarthy nominated again, this time by John James

Michigan freshman congressman John James nominated McCarthy to start the day.

After a standing ovation and repeated applause, James said McCarthy would change the direction of the nation and argued that the GOP needs to resolve the impasse over the speaker's job.

People "want Republicans to lead," James said.

This will be McCarthy's seventh time on the speaker ballot.

- David Jackson

Who is Rep. Byron Donalds?

Representative Byron Donalds serves District 19 in Southwest Florida.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, he moved to the Sunshine State for college, originally attending Florida A&M before transferring to Florida State University where he graduated with a degree in finance. Post-grad Donalds worked at TIB Bank, CMG Life Services and Moran Wealth in Naples.

-- Anna Kaufman

Learn more about him:Byron Donalds for speaker? Republicans nominate McCarthy alternative in House speaker vote

Fanone singles out House GOP lawmakers on eve of Jan. 6

Former D.C. police officer Michael Fanone, who was defending the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, took aim at House Republicans at the forefront of McCarthy’s battle for the speakership as the House enters another day without a speaker.

“This week, people who encouraged or even attended the insurrection are taking places as leaders in the new House majority,” said Fanone, speaking at a press conference organized by progressive groups Courage for America and Common Defense.

Fanone singled out Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Matt Gaetz of Florida, and Derrick Van Orden of Wisconsin.

“To the new speaker of the House, whoever the hell that ends up being, and other GOP House leaders, here’s my message to you,” said Fanone. “We the people are calling on you to condemn political violence.”

-- Ken Tran

Jan. 6 Capitol attack 2 years later:Trump still plagued by multiple investigations

Dems won’t bail out GOP

House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark confirmed Thursday morning that her “united” party will continue to vote for speaker with the full 212 membership, offering no relief to GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy who would have an easier time winning a majority of votes without some Democrats in the room.

“We are here. We are in full attendance, and we are going to remain so,” she said.

When asked if Democrats would stay through the weekend if the House remains in session until there’s a speaker, Clark said, “Yes, and this is not a hard sell.”

-- Candy Woodall

McCarthy offers new concessions

Rep. Kevin McCarthy is offering a slate of new concessions, trying to woo the Republican rebellion against him and effectively giving up the power of the speakership while hanging onto the title.

He has now allowed for a single member to force a vote to remove him as speaker, given the far-right flank authority to pick a third of the members on the powerful House Rules Committee, and opening spending bills to amendments and debates.

The concessions give more power to the 10% of the caucus that has already wielded outsized power in the narrow, four-person majority.

-- Candy Woodall

Perry, a McCarthy holdout, facing backlash at home

Rep. Scott Perry, one of the 20 holdouts against Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s bid for speaker, is being called out by progressives in his Pennsylvania district at home.

A rally planned Friday in remembrance of Jan. 6 will include a call to Perry to leave the House Freedom Caucus, which he chairs, according to organizers.

Members of Hershey Indivisible, a grassroots progressive organization, will meet on the Pennsylvania Capitol steps at noon Friday “to say MAGA Extremism is Fascism, Not Freedom,” the group said in a statement. “Let’s make sure Rep. Scott Perry doesn’t get away with his gross Freedom Caucus politics.”

Perry was a key figure in former President Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election, according to the former House committee that investigated Jan. 6.

The Pennsylvania Republican refused subpoenas and interview requests from the committee and has denied that he ever sought a pardon.

Perry is now a ringleader in the effort against McCarthy and said on the House floor Wednesday the speaker fight is “hard” and “painful,” but necessary to fix a broken Washington.

-- Candy Woodall

How the process works:What happens after McCarthy loses multiple speaker votes? We explain

McCarthy’s outlook for Thursday

After two days of stinging defeats in six losses, Rep. Kevin McCarthy returned to the Capitol Thursday morning confident his bid for speaker is moving in the right direction.

“I think we’re making progress,” he said to reporters. “We’re all working together to find a solution.”

McCarthy can only afford to lose four votes, and there are at least five or more in his caucus who are still a hard NO on him. His allies see any movement toward him or the ability to prevent further losses as a win.

But does he have the votes yet to be speaker? “We’ll see,” McCarthy told reporters.

-- Candy Woodall

McCarthy’s shifting support

House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy’s first real win this week was an adjournment vote and it came in prime time with benefits and consequences.

One of his allies, Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, said on CNN last night members should start discussing alternatives to McCarthy. He said the McCarthy holdouts are “dug in” and many of his 200 supporters could tolerate only “three or four” more votes.

Meanwhile, on FOX News, McCarthy was getting support from host Sean Hannity. “If you only have 30, to be clear, you will not withdraw,” Hannity said while interviewing McCarthy opponent Rep. Lauren Boebert, but you’re telling Kevin McCarthy and the 203 people who support him to withdraw.”

McCarthy also received support from Elon Musk, who said the GOP leader should be speaker, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and others.

“Speaker fight is 10% vs. 90% of members. It’s simple math,” Huckabee said in a tweet. “Meanwhile the country goes to hell & Dems & Devil laugh.”

-- Candy Woodall

A House without rules

Welcome to Day 3 in a House without rules, where for the first time in the modern era everything is in question – including the temperature in the chamber.

That’s not just the temperature of lawmakers disagreeing with each other, but also the actual temperature inside the room. The speaker of the House usually controls or dictates the thermostat, but without a speaker there have been some complaints this week that it’s too hot or too cold inside the chamber. Some gripes may be tongue in cheek and have offered some rare levity as the GOP, with a new and slim majority, struggles to organize its caucus.

Other changes in a House without rules this week have related to lobbyists on the floor. Some of them are former members or family of members, but normally paid lobbyists aren’t allowed on the House floor.

Also, without rules, there’s confusion, which was on display Wednesday night as both parties shouted at the clerk and each other as they decided to adjourn – first by voice vote, then a recorded vote.

The House without rules also has no members. All 434 are members-elect because they can’t be sworn in without a speaker.

-- Candy Woodall

Democrats to hold press conference Thursday morning

The minority party in the House hasn’t been demure in pointing to its good week and hasn’t missed an opportunity to talk about the GOP majority struggling to lead without leadership.

Democrats will hold another press conference at 10 a.m. Thursday and will have a closed-door meeting at 11 a.m., as the House returns for a third day without a speaker.

Look for Democrats to have their full caucus together Thursday morning. They lost an adjournment vote Wednesday night because two of their members, Reps. Tony Cardenas of California and Adriano Espaillat of New York, were absent for it.

The GOP won the adjournment vote 216 to 214, though four Republicans voted with Democrats against adjourning.

-- Candy Woodall

What to expect today

Based on members comments alone, Rep. Kevin McCarthy still doesn’t have the votes to be speaker.

But there could be a seventh vote when the House gavels in at noon Wednesday. Or there could be another adjournment. Neither procedure came easily yesterday.

McCarthy can only afford to lose four Republican votes in House GOP’s slim majority, and there are still at least five who say they are voting against him: Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Bob Good of Virginia.

The reasons for their holdouts range from not trusting McCarthy, believing he’s too aligned with the Republican establishment they see as “the swamp” to complaining about spending bills he’s let move through the House.

Based on other reports in Politico Playbook and Punchbowl News, there are maybe a dozen firm NOs against McCarthy, but his camp remains optimistic. They believe if they can win some of the 20 detractors to their side, it will pressure the other holdouts.

However, some members like Gaetz told reporters Wednesday he will be a NO for weeks or months.

Though some of the hardliners say it will be worth monthslong negotiations to not have McCarthy as speaker, other members with military backgrounds continue to sound alarms this morning that not having a sworn-in House is putting national security risk. Without being sworn in, there are no committees to oversee the Department of Defense and other agencies, they may not have valid security clearances and can’t be briefed on threatening national security risks.

--Candy Woodall

Who is Kevin McCarthy?

In 1987, a 22-year-old college student named Kevin McCarthy was rejected from a congressional internship. More than 30 years later, that onetime intern hopeful could become the next speaker of the House.

Former California Republican Rep. Bill Thomas’ chief of staff, Cathy Abernathy, is the one who turned down the then-student from Bakersfield in the 80s. Never, she told USA TODAY, did she guess the arc McCarthy's career would take.

“It’s absurd to ask a person ‘Did you see this coming?’” Abernathy laughed. “Of course not.”

-- Ken Tran

Why do they keep voting for speaker of the House?

Prior the start of a new Congress, both parties hold a private meeting where they elect the party leadership for the next Congress. This takes place before Jan. 3, the official start of the new term when all House members vote for the speaker.

A candidate only needs a majority of votes from their respective party to win the nomination in the private meeting for leadership.

Even if a colleague votes against a candidate in the private caucus meeting, the party typically sticks together to back their nominee on the House floor in January, according to Matt Glassman, a senior fellow at Georgetown University's Government Affairs Institute.

However, when the whole House votes, just a few votes in opposition to a candidate from their own party could cost them the speakership.

-- Rachel Looker

Learn more here:What happens after McCarthy loses speaker vote multiple times? Here's how the process works.

What happened Wednesday?

A chaotic and historic two days in the House were punctuated Wednesday night by a raucous vote to adjourn during a tumultuous session marked by shouting and confusion.

And still no speaker.

Republicans came to the floor at 8 p.m. ET and motioned to adjourn again until noon Thursday to give GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy more time to secure the 218 votes he needs to win the gavel. Democrats, in no hurry to resolve the GOP stalemate, tried to block the effort but failed.

A voice vote was too close in a House currently without rules, and Democrats shouted for the clerk to hold a recorded vote. Members filed up to the rostrum to cast their votes, as others stood behind them and anxiously looked up at the House scoreboard.

-- USA TODAY staff

What happened Tuesday

The House of Representatives adjourned Tuesday without a new speaker after GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy lost three straight ballots in the face of hardline opposition, the first time in a century the usually pro-forma process has taken more than one vote.

The last time the vote for a new speaker went past the first ballot was 100 years ago, in 1923. The loss underscores how Republican infighting between moderates and hardliners will complicate the GOP's majority in the House of Representatives.

Read the day one recap here:House adjourns without a new speaker as McCarthy loses three rounds of voting

-- USA TODAY staff

Kevin McCarthy faces debt-limit dilemma as House GOP ratchets up ...

CNN —

House Republicans are plotting tactics for their new majority and weighing how to use their leverage to enact a laundry list of demands, with many zeroing in on an issue with enormous economic implications: Raising the nation’s borrowing limit.

It’s an issue confronting House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, who is rounding up the votes to win the House speaker race and facing pressure from some of his colleagues to more forcefully detail how he plans to handle the sensitive topic before they decide whether to support him on January 3 for the most powerful position in Congress.

In interviews with CNN, more than two dozen House GOP lawmakers laid out their demands to avoid the nation’s first-ever debt default, ranging from new immigration policies to imposing deep domestic spending cuts. And several Republicans flatly said they would oppose raising the borrowing limit even if all their demands were met, making McCarthy’s narrow path even narrower.

“I’m a no, no matter what,” Rep. Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican, said of raising the debt ceiling.

Despite Congress suspending the nation’s borrowing limit three times when Donald Trump was president, even under all-GOP control of Washington, lawmakers say it is highly uncertain how the matter will be dealt with in a divided Congress next year – reminiscent of the furious battles between House Republicans and Barack Obama’s White House that put the country on the brink of economic disaster.

For McCarthy, the debt ceiling debate will represent one of his most difficult balancing acts if he’s elected speaker: He would need to work with Senate Democrats and President Joe Biden to cut a deal and avoid economic catastrophe without angering his emboldened right flank for caving into the left. And unlike other bills in the GOP House that will die in the Democratic-led Senate, a debt ceiling increase is one of the few must-pass items awaiting the new Congress – something many Republicans see as critical leverage.

Some Republicans say it is incumbent upon McCarthy to spell out his strategy on the issue before they decide if they will support him in the speakership race – when the California Republican can only afford to lose four GOP votes. In one private meeting with a member of the House Freedom Caucus, McCarthy was urged to take a harder public stance on the coming policy issues for next year, according to a person familiar with the matter.

“Several (House Freedom Caucus) members have made spending a main issue,” one GOP lawmaker who has been critical of McCarthy told CNN.

Rep. Scott Perry, the leader of the hardline Freedom Caucus, confirmed it’s an issue that has been broached with McCarthy as he has been wooing members ahead of next month’s vote.

“Debt ceiling has been a conversation that has been perennial in every single conversation or meeting around here since I’ve been here,” the Pennsylvania Republican said in an interview.

But some moderate Republicans – whom McCarthy needs to protect in order to keep their fragile majority in 2024 – have expressed uneasiness over using the debt ceiling as a bargaining chip, risking both a catastrophic default and the political blame, especially if Republicans push for cuts to popular entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security. Republicans remember 2011 all too well when a proposal from then-Rep. Paul Ryan to overhaul Medicare became fodder for attacks that depicted him rolling an elderly lady in a wheelchair off a cliff.

“We shouldn’t put the United States in a position to default on our debt, clearly,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson, a South Dakota Republican. “But I also think every member of Congress needs to acknowledge that the $32 trillion debt is not in our national interest.”

Rep. Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee said the debt ceiling increase is part of a discussion “we should have had a long time ago – to talk about some structural solutions.”

But he added: “I think the vast majority of responsible legislators realize this is money already spent and that we can never put the United States in a default position.”

Other Republicans, however, argue that the fears of going off the fiscal cliff are overblown.

“I don’t fear not raising the debt ceiling, because if we didn’t raise the debt ceiling, all that would mean we’d have to cut discretionary spending so we stop spending more than we’re taking in,” said Rep. Bob Good of Virginia, an anti-McCarthy Republican. “That’s a panic here in Washington because we’re so beholden to spending.”

Indiana Rep. Greg Pence added of raising the debt limit: “It’s a no.”

McCarthy told CNN in an interview before the midterm elections that he wouldn’t raise the borrowing limit without getting some sort of spending cuts in return, though he was light on specifics.

“If you’re going to give a person a higher limit, wouldn’t you first say you should change your behavior, so you just don’t keep raising and all the time?” McCarthy asked. “You shouldn’t just say, ‘Oh, I’m gonna let you keep spending money.’ No household should do that.”

Fears over a stalemate

Democrats had hoped to raise the debt ceiling in the current lame-duck session of Congress, but they’re running out of time and there’s little political will to do so since the borrowing limit won’t need to be raised until next year some time. The Treasury Department declined to comment when asked when the debt ceiling would need to be raised again, though Goldman Sachs indicated in an analysis that “funds could run dry as soon as July and as late as October.”

Before that point, the divided Congress will need to act, even as the White House has made clear its opposition to attaching strings to the debt ceiling hike – namely if it involves cuts to Medicare or Social Security.

“Telling the middle class out of the gate, before the new Congress has even begun, that working to override their will and hollow-out the benefits they have earned throughout their lives is a stone-cold nonstarter,” said White House spokesman Andrew Bates.

Still, conservatives, eager to use their newly found leverage, have already begun to outline what concessions they want from Democrats.

Rep. Jeff Duncan, a South Carolina Republican, wants to see cuts to both discretionary and mandatory spending, including entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. But he said no one currently drawing benefits should be impacted, and that the structural reforms should be designed to make the programs more solvent for future generations.

“There are benefits – Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ benefits – that people paid into it or were promised,” Duncan said. “But there are other welfare programs in the Farm Bill, the nutrition title. All of that needs to be addressed. Because truly they’re the drivers of some of the spending.”

Even though debts spiked under Trump and Republicans raised few objections to rising deficits, Republicans say Biden’s push for more spending on his domestic priorities has forced them to toughen their demands ahead of the next debt limit increase.

“Border Security and getting rid of all the Covid spending that we don’t need,” said Rep. Byron Donalds, a Florida Republican, when asked about his demands for raising the debt ceiling.

Others were just as emphatic.

“Hell no,” Rep. Chip Roy of Texas said when asked if he’d support a clean debt ceiling hike without slashing discretionary programs at federal agencies and mandatory spending, which includes entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security.

“There’s a lot of fat and garbage that’s way off the mission that we can cut,” Roy said.

Good, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, wants Republicans to use their leverage in the debt ceiling fight to push for other policy changes. The Freedom Caucus, a band of roughly 40 Trump-aligned Republicans, is known for using hardball tactics on the House floor to pull legislation to the right – and McCarthy needs the support from nearly all of those members to win the speakership.

“There’s other things that we as Republicans should be fighting for as part of that, things like ending the vaccine mandate, securing the border, restoring Trump’s energy policies,” Good said.

But some Republicans have signaled there may be no scenario in which they’re willing to raise the nation’s borrowing limit.

“I’m not sure I’ve seen anything that’s going to be able to convince me to raise the debt ceiling,” said Rep. Andy Biggs, a former Freedom Caucus chief who is also opposing McCarthy for speaker. “This place does nothing but create mounting structural deficits that are huge, which in turn grows the national debt, and we don’t have a plan to bring it down. Why would we lift it again?”

That’s a proposition that has Democrats worried.

“McCarthy has said he may well use the debt limit as a leverage. That’s very high stakes to use debt limit, which would plunge us and the world economy into a tailspin,” said Rep. Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat and the outgoing House majority leader.

How McCarthy plans to approach the various looming fiscal showdowns next year has begun to factor into the speaker race. Last month, Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina pledged to oppose McCarthy on the floor, citing McCarthy’s refusal to support a seven-year balanced budget.

Norman was among a cross section of Republicans who recently met with McCarthy in his office to discuss a package of rules changes.

Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, the head of the conservative Republican Study Committee, said the group also talked about upcoming budget battles, “how to deal with the relationship with the Senate,” and “how to push bills out of the House of Representatives with the most conservative votes that we can possibly get.”

While the prospect of a high-stakes fiscal showdown has put members in both parties on edge, some Republicans believe cooler heads will prevail.

“Just the maximum,” said Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina, when asked what he wanted for a debt ceiling hike. “And I have faith in Kevin McCarthy that he will achieve it.”