Note: This article may contain commentary reflecting the author's opinion.
On Friday night, the House of Representatives convened to take the fifteenth, and last, vote in the saga to decide who would be elected as Speaker of the House. In the twelfth vote taken earlier in the afternoon, the GOP opposition fractured with 14 members, led by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), voting for Kevin McCarthy.
The remaining Republican representatives who did not vote for McCarthy and instead voted for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) or Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) on the previous, fourteenth ballot include Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Eli Crane (R-AZ), Bob Good (R-VA), and Matt Rosendale (R-MT).
However, after four days of exhaustive negotiations, the GOP opposition was finally satisfied with the concessions they were able to win from McCarthy.
In the fifteenth ballot, the most ballots since 1859, Representative Kevin McCarthy of the state of California was elected Speaker of the House of the 118th Congress.
After a raucous fourteenth vote in which Kevin McCarthy was visibly angry and a last-minute switch of votes to not adjourn until Monday, the fifteenth ballot began at approximately 11:50 p.m. EST as Republicans changed “one more time!”
At that time Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) nominated Kevin McCarthy in the Republican leader’s fourteenth try to gain the Speaker’s gavel.
“I rise to nominate Kevin McCarthy as the Speaker of the House” the congressman began. “The eyes of the world, the eyes of America are on this body right now. What America needs, what this body needs is a lot less talk and a lot more action and at the direction of the Republican conference I advance the name of Kevin McCarthy as the Speaker of the House for the 118th Congress.”
BUTTIGIEG FLIES FOR FREE: TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY FLEW TO LUXURY EUROPEAN SPORTS EVENTS WITH HUSBAND ON MILITARY AIRCRAFT
Following Westerman’s oration, the Democrats nominated Rep. Hakeen Jefferies (D-NY) for Speaker and encouraged six Republicans to join in voting for Jefferies.
Following this, the congressional roll was then called as each representative announced their vote.
The final tally for the fifteenth ballot is as follows: 212 votes for Jefferies, 216 votes for McCarthy, and six voted present.
Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Eli Crane (R-AZ), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Matt Rosendale (R-MT), and Bob Good (R-VA) voted present thus lowering the threshold for McCarthy to be elected.
With McCarthy passing the necessary threshold to be elected to Speaker, he will now have to hold together a raucous caucus and honor the deal crafted with the GOP opposition. With some congressmen already coming out against the new rules, there is going to be a tumultuous path ahead for the new Speaker.
You Can Follow Sterling on Twitter Here
On Friday night, the House of Representatives convened to take the fifteenth, and last, vote in the saga to decide who would be elected as Speaker of the House. In the twelfth vote taken earlier in the afternoon, the GOP opposition fractured with 14 members, led by Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), voting for Kevin McCarthy.
The remaining Republican representatives who did not vote for McCarthy and instead voted for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) or Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) on the previous, fourteenth ballot include Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Eli Crane (R-AZ), Bob Good (R-VA), and Matt Rosendale (R-MT).
However, after four days of exhaustive negotiations, the GOP opposition was finally satisfied with the concessions they were able to win from McCarthy.
In the fifteenth ballot, the most ballots since 1859, Representative Kevin McCarthy of the state of California was elected Speaker of the House of the 118th Congress.
After a raucous fourteenth vote in which Kevin McCarthy was visibly angry and a last-minute switch of votes to not adjourn until Monday, the fifteenth ballot began at approximately 11:50 p.m. EST as Republicans changed “one more time!”
At that time Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) nominated Kevin McCarthy in the Republican leader’s fourteenth try to gain the Speaker’s gavel.
“I rise to nominate Kevin McCarthy as the Speaker of the House” the congressman began. “The eyes of the world, the eyes of America are on this body right now. What America needs, what this body needs is a lot less talk and a lot more action and at the direction of the Republican conference I advance the name of Kevin McCarthy as the Speaker of the House for the 118th Congress.”
BUTTIGIEG FLIES FOR FREE: TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY FLEW TO LUXURY EUROPEAN SPORTS EVENTS WITH HUSBAND ON MILITARY AIRCRAFT
Following Westerman’s oration, the Democrats nominated Rep. Hakeen Jefferies (D-NY) for Speaker and encouraged six Republicans to join in voting for Jefferies.
Following this, the congressional roll was then called as each representative announced their vote.
The final tally for the fifteenth ballot is as follows: 212 votes for Jefferies, 216 votes for McCarthy, and six voted present.
Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Eli Crane (R-AZ), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Matt Rosendale (R-MT), and Bob Good (R-VA) voted present thus lowering the threshold for McCarthy to be elected.
With McCarthy passing the necessary threshold to be elected to Speaker, he will now have to hold together a raucous caucus and honor the deal crafted with the GOP opposition. With some congressmen already coming out against the new rules, there is going to be a tumultuous path ahead for the new Speaker.
You Can Follow Sterling on Twitter Here