GOP leader Kevin McCarthy at last clinched the speakership just after midnight Saturday on his 15th attempt, after an all-week marathon of ballots and negotiations — and a heated final stretch on the House floor.
Representatives Andy Biggs and Eli Crane of Arizona, Bob Good of Virginia, and Matt Rosendale of Montana all voted “present” in the 15th round, helping to lower the threshold of votes needed to win. Representatives Matt Gaetz of Florida and Lauren Boebert of Colorado voted “present” in both the 14th and 15th rounds as well. McCarthy narrowly won with 216 votes, having needed 215. Democrat Hakeem Jeffries (D., N.Y.) earned 212.
McCarthy told reporters early Saturday that he is “glad it’s over.”
“My father always told me it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. And now we need to finish strong for the American people,” McCarthy said in a speech on the House floor after the win.
He reiterated the need to advance the party’s Commitment to America plan, saying: “Our system is built on checks and balances. It’s time for us to be a check and provide some balance to the president’s policies.”
The historic rounds of balloting for speaker — the most in over 200 years — ended as they began: with confusion and uncertainty. After the 14th vote failed late Friday, the House initially seemed poised to adjourn for the weekend. This, after Gaetz’s “present” vote left McCarthy one vote shy of the number needed. The round led to a tense confrontation on the floor between McCarthy and Gaetz, who seemed unmoved by his appeals. However, in a burst of activity, Republicans began changing their votes on adjournment, suddenly pushing for a 15th round, signaling a breakthrough.
McCarthy, a longtime member of GOP leadership, had been negotiating and offering concessions since before the new Congress convened on Tuesday, but they had appeared to be yielding little return until earlier Friday. Fourteen other Republican hold-outs, including Representatives Brecheen, Bishop, Cloud, Clyde, Donalds, Luna, Miller, Norman, Perry, Roy, Self, Spartz, Gosar, and Ogles, first voted for McCarthy on the twelfth round for the position. After each GOP rebel changed their vote, the House floor erupted into cheers.
In a statement, obtained by Politico, on his decision to support McCarthy, Self said: “My vote today was to show support for significant Rule changes to transform the House from being dysfunctional to functional. I believe we are on the precipice of transferring significant power from leadership to individual members and the American people.”
McCarthy announced earlier Friday that negotiations over the speakership had been approaching an agreement although he did not confirm a deal. He assured that the members had been working “hard” and in “good faith,” according to Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News.
“I’m not telling you we have an agreement, I am telling you we are in a good position,” McCarthy told members on a House GOP conference call, Politico reported.
The House voted Thursday night to adjourn and reconvene on Friday at noon after McCarthy failed in his eleventh attempt for the speakership. The House voted five times on Thursday alone.
While the House was initially expected to vote to approve the rules package for the 118th Congress on Friday night, that vote has been postponed until Monday, according to the House majority whip’s office.
Assuming that all Democrats oppose, Republicans can afford just four defections to pass the rules package. Some members, including Representative Tony Gonzales, have signaled they plan to oppose the resolution.
The rules package includes concessions McCarthy made to win support from his detractors.