After 15 rounds of voting, Kevin McCarthy has been elected as the new Speaker of the US House of Representatives. The Republican representative from California has served in the House since 2007 and was previously the House Majority Leader. His election follows the resignation of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is now the House Minority Leader.
The process of electing a new Speaker was marked by heated exchanges and almost saw fellow Republicans come to blows. Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, who was among the holdouts, almost had a physical altercation with Alabama Congressman Mike Rogers, a supporter of McCarthy. In the end, McCarthy was able to persuade 14 Republican holdouts to vote for him on the 12th round of voting, with a 15th holdout following suit on the 13th ballot.
As Speaker, McCarthy will set the agenda for the House and oversee legislative business. He is also second in line to the presidency after the Vice President. In his first speech after being confirmed as Speaker, McCarthy tweeted, “I hope one thing is clear after this week: I will never give up. And I will never give up for you, the American people.”
Kevin McCarthy Elected US House Speaker After 15 Rounds of Voting
- Kevin McCarthy has been elected Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
- It took 15 rounds of voting for McCarthy to win the position, despite his party having a majority in the chamber.
- The Speaker sets the House agenda and oversees legislative business, and is second in line to the presidency after the Vice President.
- The election process was marked by heated exchanges, with party rebel Matt Gaetz almost coming to blows with another Republican, Mike Rogers.
- McCarthy received support from former President Donald Trump in his bid for the speakership.
- US President Joe Biden congratulated McCarthy on his win and expressed a desire to cooperate with the Republican Party.
- McCarthy made various concessions to Republican holdouts, including offering a seat on the influential rules committee and agreeing to lower the threshold for triggering a vote on removing the Speaker to just one member.
- The holdouts included members of the House Freedom Caucus, who believed McCarthy was not conservative enough to lead the party.
- The election process was marked by chaos and drama, with McCarthy failing to win on the 14th ballot.
- McCarthy finally emerged victorious on the 15th ballot, receiving applause from his colleagues.
- Democratic Party lawmakers accused McCarthy of ceding power to an extreme wing of the Republican Party.
- The stand-off was compared to the riot on Capitol Hill by Trump supporters two years ago, which disrupted the certification of President Biden.
McCarthy received support from former President Donald Trump in his bid for the speakership. He told reporters that Trump had helped him get the final votes and said, “I don’t think anybody should doubt his influence.” President Joe Biden congratulated McCarthy on his win and expressed a desire to cooperate with the Republican Party.
However, McCarthy’s victory has not been without controversy. He made various concessions to the holdouts, including offering a seat on the influential rules committee and agreeing to lower the threshold for triggering a vote on removing the Speaker to just one member. The holdouts included members of the House Freedom Caucus, who believed McCarthy was not conservative enough to lead the party.
In addition, McCarthy has faced criticism for not doing more to combat conspiracy theories and misinformation within the Republican Party. He has also taken positions on issues such as taxes, regulation, healthcare, military funding, border security, climate change, and energy that have drawn criticism from Democrats. In the past, McCarthy has faced controversy for making false statements, including claiming that the Benghazi attack was motivated by a video rather than a planned terrorist attack.
Despite these controversies, McCarthy has a reputation as a strong fundraiser and has strong relationships with business groups. He has supported efforts to lower taxes and reduce regulations on businesses, as well as repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. He has also supported increased funding for the military and strengthened border security. However, he has opposed efforts to address climate change and has supported increased drilling for fossil fuels.
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As McCarthy takes on the role of Speaker, he will have to navigate a divided Congress and work to find common ground with Democrats on key issues facing the country. President Biden has called on leaders to “govern in a way that puts their needs above all else,” and it remains to be seen how McCarthy will rise to this challenge as the new leader of the House of Representatives.