Republican McCarthy also loses 13th ballot in US lower house | Abroad

Normally the vote is a formality. The leader of the largest party in the House usually becomes Speaker with one vote. But for the first time in a hundred years, several rounds are needed to find a chairman. In the thirteenth round he received 214 votes, but needed at least 217 because of the absence of two party members. However, some conservatives within his own party continue to oppose him. They think he is too weak and think he will be too willing to make deals with the Democrats.

In the twelfth round he got more votes for the first time. Fourteen party members who consistently voted against Kevin McCarthy in the previous eleven rounds supported him during the twelfth ballot. Also in the thirteenth round he managed to persuade an extra party member. Their support came after negotiations last night between McCarthy’s team and the no voters. McCarthy had made concessions to far-right Republicans and agreed to weaken the power of the presidency, writes The New York Times. Five rebellious Republicans remain who are still opposing the presidential candidate for the time being.

A fourteenth round of voting will take place later today, at 10 p.m. local time. McCarthy is confident he will get the vote this time. “I have the votes,” he told reporters at the scene.

The presidential election began Tuesday, when the House met for the first time in its new composition, and will continue until someone is elected. In 1856 a record 133 votes were cast. The process then took two months. Without a chairman, the parliamentarians cannot be sworn in and cannot go to work. The last time it took several rounds to elect a chairman was exactly one hundred years ago in 1923.