For the first time since before the Civil War, the House is poised to hold a 10th vote for speaker after House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) failed to clinch the gavel across nine ballots.
Not since the 36th Congress, which stretched from 1859 through 1861, have there been a number of votes in the double digits. During that drawn-out process, William Pennington (R-NJ) emerged victorious after 44 votes.
The most votes ever taken is 133, back during the 34th Congress from 1855-1857.
