House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) suffered defeat six times in two days as the GOP rebellion against his speaker bid grows.
The lower chamber is now adjourned until 8 p.m., giving members-elect less than four hours to continue negotiating for a candidate who can secure a majority for the gavel. As of press time, McCarthy is not backing down despite a growing number of his own GOP conference spurning him.
Votes will continue for however many days it takes until a speaker is elected. House members cannot be sworn in until a speaker is chosen, holding up any legislative business and committee assignments in the 118th Congress. The threshold for a nominee to win the speaker’s gavel is 218 votes, but that number decreases if members vote “present,” decline to vote, or are absent.
