Republican Kevin McCarthy received more votes on Friday for the presidency of the House of Representatives, but not enough to be elected. Of the twenty rebel party members, fourteen now voted for McCarthy. There have now been twelve rounds of voting.
To become Speaker, McCarthy must be supported by almost all of his party colleagues in the House. There are still seven Republicans who did not vote for McCarthy. The leader of the largest party usually becomes president with one vote, but a group of very conservative Republicans stand in the way of McCarthy’s nomination. They think he is too weak and think he will be too willing to make deals with the Democrats.
Twelfth round of voting
McCarthy said just before the twelfth round of voting that a number of rebel party members are now behind him. In recent days he has negotiated with the twenty dissidents, who always voted for other party members in the previous votes, and has since made several concessions.
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 435 parliamentarians cannot be sworn in and go to work.