The Republican nominee for Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, has been rejected again in Congress on the fourth ballot after an internal revolt by conservatives. Until the lower house appoints a president, he will not be able to begin his work with the new congressmen elected in last November’s midterm elections, in which the Republicans won a majority.
McCarthy is the first candidate for Speaker of the House of Representatives In 100 years, he did not win the first election. A candidate needs a majority of votes (218). Republicans control 222 seats to Democrats’ 212. This narrow majority means that virtually all conservatives must vote for the same candidate to be elected.
On the fourth ballot, McCarthy received 201 votes from the Republican Party; Democrat Hakeem Jeffries got 212; And 20 other crooked conservative congressmen voted for Republican Byron Donalds. The number of insurgents remains unchanged from Tuesday’s vote, meaning McCarthy failed to convince any of them.
On the first ballot, Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar, a far-right Republican, took the third ticket for Andy Biggs as a conservative alternative. Of the 19 Republicans who opposed McCarthy on the first ballot, 10 supported Biggs, the congressman who lost to McCarthy in the November nomination race. 188 votes to 31.
On the second ballot, Jim Jordan of Ohio won the support of 19 Republicans who had opposed McCarthy on the first ballot. This comes after Jordan himself nominated McCarthy in an attempt to show unity. In his speech, Jordan laid out the Republican agenda and urged his colleagues to put aside their differences. “We have to rally around it,” Jordan said. However, McCarthy lost support on the third ballot. Florida’s Byron Donalds left McCarthy for Jordan, bringing the number of Republican challengers to 20.
McCarthy’s Republican opposition was led by members of the House Freedom Caucus, a far-right group pushing for changes to House rules. Scott Perry, chairman of the Freedom Caucus, reiterated his opposition Tuesday, accusing McCarthy of working in good faith with his group.
After losing three straight votes on Tuesday, a California Republican political consultant said it was “the most humiliating day of his political career” for McCarthy. was picked up All over the newspapers native state McCarthy.
Trump supports McCarthy
On Wednesday, Donald Trump called on Republicans to back McCarthy, hours later declining to say whether he would continue to support the candidate. “Let’s see what happens. We’ll see how it all turns out.” told NBC News The former president on Tuesday night.
However, Trump now says that “we had a really good conversation last night.” [martes] And now it’s time for all of our great Republican members of the House to vote for Kevin to keep the deal and win. ”
“Republicans, don’t turn a big win into a giant, embarrassing loss. It’s time to celebrate, you deserve it. Kevin McCarthy will do a good job and maybe even a great job,” Trump added via the Truth social network.
Source: El Diario
