After 15 vote rounds, Kevin McCarthy is chosen as the Speaker of the US House.

After 15 vote rounds, Kevin McCarthy is chosen as the Speaker of the US House.

The Speaker controls legislative action and establishes the House’s agenda. After the US vice president, the position is second in line for the presidency.

 

Following his confirmation, Mr. McCarthy expressed the following on Twitter: “After this week, I hope one thing is abundantly clear: I will never quit up. And I’ll never stop fighting for you, the people of America.”

According to Mr. McCarthy, former President Trump assisted him in winning the decisive votes. He told reporters, “I don’t believe anyone should deny his influence.”

He was there for me from the start, calling both me and other people, the man claimed.

US President Joe Biden praised Mr. McCarthy for his victory and expressed his eagerness to work with the Republican Party.

He stated, “We need to govern in a way that puts the needs of the American people above everything else. The American people demand that from their leaders.

Republicans have already promised to start looking into Mr. Biden’s government and family business dealings.

In a stunning change of events, Mr. McCarthy was successful in convincing 14 Republican holdouts to vote for him in the 12th round of voting. The thirteenth ballot was followed by a fifteenth rebel.

McCarthy asserted to reporters that he would “have the votes” to win the speakership in the subsequent round after the 13th voting was called off.

The California congressman once again lost on the 14th ballot, this time falling three votes shy of the 217 votes required to capture the coveted gavel.

Members of the House Freedom Caucus were among the dissidents, and they contend that Mr. McCarthy is not conservative enough to lead them as they strive to thwart Democratic President Joe Biden’s plan.

Mr. McCarthy has made a number of concessions to the rebels, including a position on the powerful rules committee that determines how legislation is discussed in the chamber.

The Republican alliance might easily splinter once more even after Mr. McCarthy’s success because he also agreed to lower the bar for calling a vote on whether to remove the Speaker to only one House member.

 

2 of 4
Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse