LIVE: House Votes for New Speaker With Republican Majority
Grab the popcorn.
The 118th Congress convenes today. The Republicans have a slim majority. But who will be the speaker?
ROUND THREE! Steve Scalise Nominates McCarthy
Third time is a charm? Maybe.
McCarthy Fails to Secure a Victory AGAIN
19 Republicans voted for Jim Jordan.
B) Biggs (R-AZ), Bishop (R-NC), Clyde (R-GA), Crane (R-AZ), Gaetz (R-FL), Good (R-VA), Gosar (R-AZ), Norman (R-SC), Perry (R-PA), Rosendale (R-MT), Boebert (R-CO), Cloud (R-TX), Luna (R-FL), Miller (R-IL), Ogles (R-TN), Self (R-TX), Brecheen (R-OK), Harris (R-MD), Roy (R-TX)
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 3, 2023
Gaetz Nominates Jordan
Oh sweet chaos.
Matt Gaetz nominates Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House:
"Maybe the right person for the job of Speaker of the House isn't someone who has sold shares of themselves for more than a decade to get it." pic.twitter.com/f47tddFECf
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) January 3, 2023
Second Round Begins
Jim Jordan nominates McCarthy.
Jim Jordan nominates Kevin McCarthy for Speaker of the House. pic.twitter.com/6O5hHDEy5x
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 3, 2023
19 Voted Against McCarthy
- 10 votes for Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.): Biggs, Reps. Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Bob Good (R-Va.), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Matt Rosendale (R-Mt.) and Rep.-elect Eli Crane (R-Ariz.).
- Six votes for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio): Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Michael Cloud (R-Texas), Mary Miller (R-Ill.) and Reps.-elect Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) and Keith Self (R-Texas).
- One vote for Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.): Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.).
- One vote for former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.): Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.).
- One vote for Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.): Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas).
Jeffries Will Get More Votes This Round
Rep. Andy Harris votes for Lee Zeldin, which makes 11 Republicans that have voted against McCarthy.
Jeffries is now going to get more votes on the first ballot than Kevin but you need a majority to win so it will still fail.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 3, 2023
Vote Will go to a Second Round
Good and Gaetz just voted for Biggs.
That’s 10 votes McCarthy has lost.
Gaetz Votes for Biggs
That’s 8 votes McCarthy has lost.
McCarthy has Lost 7 Votes
Rep Michael Cloud, R-TX, votes for Jordan…. Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-GA, for Biggs….Rep. Eli Crane, R-Az, for Biggs
McCarthy has already lost 7 House GOPers. He could only afford to lose 4. Unless there are vote changes before gaveling, he will not win Speakership on first gavel
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 3, 2023
Brecheen Votes for Jim Banks
Rep Josh Brecheen (R-OK) votes for Jim Banks for Speaker
McCarthy appears unlikely to win on first ballot.
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) January 3, 2023
Boebart Votes for Jim Jordan
Did not see that coming.
Boebert votes for Jim Jordan for Speaker. pic.twitter.com/BnRQHv6f4R
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) January 3, 2023
Gosar Nominates Biggs
.@RepGosar nominates @RepAndyBiggsAZ for speaker
— John Bresnahan (@bresreports) January 3, 2023
Stefanik Nominates McCarthy
.@RepStefanik "It is my high honor to present our conference's nominee for election to the office of Speaker of the people's House the honorable Kevin McCarthy of the state of California." pic.twitter.com/K0qbBUiPIW
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 3, 2023
Nominations for Speaker of the House – LIVE on C-SPAN #118thCongress https://t.co/9399jTR4wM
— CSPAN (@cspan) January 3, 2023
Fetterman Sworn In
He wore a suit.
JUST IN: Sen. @JohnFetterman (D-PA) is officially sworn in to the United States Senate. pic.twitter.com/zIgkvUL3Q7
— Forbes (@Forbes) January 3, 2023
McCarthy Lashes Out at Opponents
“There’s times we’re going to have to argue with our own members, if they’re looking out for only positions for themselves, not for the country. For the last two months we worked together as a whole conference to develop rules that empower all members, but we’re not empowering certain members over others” he said of his opponents.
Speaking about the list of demands he got last night, McCarthy said, “I was presented the only way to have 218 votes — if I provided certain members with certain positions certain gavels to take over certain committee to have certain budgets. And they even came to the position where one Matt Gaetz said, ‘I don’t care if we go to plurality and we elect Hakeem Jeffries,’ and it hurts the new frontline members not to get reelected.”
“Well, that’s not about America, and I will always fight to put the American people first,” McCarthy added. “Not a few individuals that want something for themselves. So we may have a battle on the floor. But the battle is for the conference and the country and that’s fine with me.”
Pressed on what he will do if it goes to multiple votes McCarthy said, “I have the record for the longest speech ever on the floor. I don’t have a problem getting a record for the most votes for speaker.”
Five Republicans already said no to Kevin McCarthy, who can only lose four votes.
Andy Biggs (AZ)
Matt Gaetz (FL)
Bob Good (VA)
Ralph Norman (SC)
Matt Rosendale (MT)
Looks like Rep. Lauren Boebert (CO) is also a no.
As it stands, I will not be voting for Kevin McCarthy to be Speaker of the House. pic.twitter.com/rUDuHS45hH
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) January 3, 2023
Watch two of them cave at the last minute. We know how it works in DC. Give me some pork and I’ll vote for you.
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
At least 5 know talks cheap when you are talking RINO/liberal.
Have never trusted Stefanik. She’s part of the GOPe Uniparty swamp!
I dont know, I kind of like her spunk
True. An all powerful Speaker who writes thousand page bills in the backroom can do tremendous damage to our country as the last one just proved or has the swamp already forgotten that? Looks like Repub leadership sure has and just wants to get in on the game.
He already moved into the office, which means there is something that we don’t know, and of course “they” will not tell us.
This is Kabuki theater. I have to puke.
How insane was that, Frank, his “roommate, probably told him his panel of independents and conservative Republicans thought it was a good idea
Lots of room in there for hairspray
Make that BBQ pork and we have a deal.
“Fetterman Sworn In
He wore a suit.”
The tuxedo-print hoodie? Classy.
It wasn’t a real suit. It had a zipper in the back. He had on a pair of coveralls that was made to look like a suit.
I am now convinced. I would rather Jefferies become speaker.
“Well, that’s not about America, and I will always fight to put the American people first,” McCarthy added.”
Gaetz did exactly what his constituents called for him to do, That’s what representing American voters is about.
If there is a second round of votes do they get to nominate new people?
You don’t have to be nominated to be voted for. Nomination is just a way to appeal to the lazy voter who won’t do their own due diligence.
First McCarthy lashes out calling folks who won’t vote for him selfish because ‘they asked for certain positions, power, staff and budget’. Pot meet kettle.
If holding a contested election for Speaker is such a huge problem and such a danger to the Republic then why won’t McCarthy step aside? Oh, I get it, it’s a problem when everyone else won’t simply toe the line set by the DC establishment and vote the way the establishment tells them to. McCarthy’s selfish pursuit of the Speaker’s chair isn’t a problem at all…OK Boomer.
Yeah, not a good response to lash out, not a Uniter
Oh, that was Bush
McCarthy also was reportedly moving into the Speaker’s Office before the vote. For that alone I would vote for someone else. 19, 19 then 20 votes against McCarthy.
Now they vote to adjourn until tomorrow at noon. Gonna be interesting in that behind closed doors caucus meeting.
Failing the first test of Speaker, getting elected, three times in succession is not a good look for McCarthy. Adding a motion to adjourn in order to try and regroup is worse, IMO. Demonstrates he is putting his image over sheer ruthlessness in forcing vote after vote until his opponents give up. Instead he called a time out.
And boy did he unite the Muslims!
It’s like the good old days when we had real political conventions?
Just kidding
How long a break between votes?
May as well make a communist the speaker than that weak-kneed, spineless McCarthy. At least a communist is openly a traitor.,
Bryan Kohberger has a better chance of being found not guilty than Kevin McCarthy does of being elected Speaker of the House.
Does anyone want to see someone vote for Donald Trump in the next round just to see heads explode?
Yes.
The vote today has been very bearish.
Per TGP, 18 votes against McCarthy in the first round. We’re gaining ground, but something’s got to give or they’ll be voting for a month. Problem is, there are enough DIABLOs to put Jeffries over the top if they get frustrated enough. (I don’t believe the rumors that it is the Freedom Caucus that is threatening to elect him. That sounds like RINO/McCarthy propaganda.)
19, actually.
This makes it the first time since 1923 that a Speaker has not been elected on the first ballot.
Yeah, that was before the first vote had concluded and before I turned on the TV. As of now, he’s already fallen short on the second.
Not having a Speaker of the House for a month isn’t going to hurt half as much as having McCarthy there for a day would.
Does anyone think that Jim Joprdan made that speach to get more votes?
Odd to see Jordan nominate McCarthy, and Gaetz nominate Jordan. 19 will probably be the high water mark and subsequent votes will gradually turn to McCarthy as the negotiations progress.
After the open threats by the McCarthy faction to remove them from committee assignments if they didn’t vote for McCarthy, I don’t think so. I think McCarthy is done, and it’s simply a question of how many votes before the RINOs throw him overboard (or the Democrats ride to his rescue – which would be CATASTROPHIC for his political future).
That was such a STUPID threat. They’ve essentially guaranteed that they will never vote for McCarthy, at least not without promises of committee assignments in writing.
Even in writing the promises would be worthless as there is no way to make McCarthy live up to the written promises. No court would touch any lawsuit on this issue.
No way to legally enforce them, sure, but getting them in writing preserves the fact that McCarthy did make those promises and can’t lie his way out by claiming that he never promised certain things.
It’s a matter of trust.
Conservatives know they can’t trust the mad leftists who make up the Democrat party. We can only trust the mainstream GOP residents *slightly* more. When a mushy moderate gets on the ballot, the GOP will push them to the very end, and they demand the conservatives vote for the mush or the Dems will win. When an actual conservative gets on the ballot and the Dems unleash the slime machine against them, the GOP promptly shuts up or worse, joins in. They seem perfectly happy to see a conservative lose.
So now we have McCarthy, better than Mitch but still prime GOP material, and a list of promises he’s made to the conservatives. In short, he won’t commit to the major points the conservatives want, and we don’t trust him not to back out on the ones he did commit to.
I think the Democrats could do some serious damage here if they play their cards right. “Sure, we’ll give you the votes you need, Kevin. You just have to agree not to investigate the Biden’s or the FBI. And we have a few bills (green energy, CRT, gender nonsense) that we want you to whip your caucus for a yes vote.” It wouldn’t surprise me a bit if McCarthy accepted some sort of deal like that, (again) screwing the party base (and the American people).
McCarthy really just stuck his dick in a blender by moving into the Speaker suite the other day and simply acting like he had already won.
It’s EXACTLY that kind of in-your-face entitled crap that has so pissed off conservatives.
McCarthy doesn’t have the votes, and isn’t willing to put his actual promises in writing, demonstrating he has no intention of keeping them.
So at this point its simply a question of whether Democrats are going to drag McCarthy over the line (which would be CATASTROPHIC for his Speakership and basically ensure that this would be his last 2 years as Speaker), or whether the RINO crew will finally throw him and his ego overboard and nominate one of the other 217 members that are NOT named McCarthy.
It won’t be McCarthy. After a couple more rounds of voting they will come up with another name.
I hope you’re right, but another 200 votes is a long pull, especially with the “ever-Mc” voters locked in as much as the FC voters are.
I have no idea. I was just guessing.
Your guess is as good as mine.
The problem for McCarthy is that the 218th vote is just as important as the first 217 votes and he hasn’t broken 203 then lost ground on the third round of voting.
I’m guessing that’s not good.
That might just happen, Dems ruling once again, I think that’s the plan
“moving into the Speaker suite the other day and simply acting like he had already won.”
“The Office of The Speaker of The House Elect…”
The opposition appears to have united behind Jordan. Per Chip Roy, the McCarthyites threatened to take away all committee assignments from anyone who voted against him. I don’t think that helped his cause.
That’s just STUPID at this point, and shows how desperate the RINOs are. How could they possibly believe that kind of threat would work, PARTICULARLY when McCarthy refused to actually follow through on his previous threat to revoke committee assignments of Kizinger and Cheney?
Bull-headedness? Stupidity?
Thankfully, Kizinger and Cheney are ex-congresscritters as of today. They have no assignments to revoke.
Is this theater or a party finally getting up from its all fours and stop being doormats? I can’t tell.
So three strikes your out? Will McCarthy get the hint?
I’m not following this today in detail but checking in to see what’s happening.
Knowing that the nation is going down in flames. I would like to see someone start throwing furniture and people flying out of windows like any given Burt Reynolds movie in the 70s.
Country is led by idiots.
Yawn. SSDD. The uniparty will “install” who they can control the best and it’s back to standard ops. Nothing will change.
BTW New Congress, the USA is insolvent, so call up Yellen and hit the print button for more deep fried pork spending with thousand dollar BBQ sauce just in time for COVID ’23 carried over by all those Chinese tourists that need to fly everywhere to spend more fake money.
Yet the uni party was unable to do so on three separate attempts today. Tomorrow will be interesting. Tonight’s or Tomorrow morning’s caucus meeting should be fun but we won’t get to see it.
They have officially voted to adjourn until tomorrow.
McCarthy simply doesn’t have the votes, and has shown no ability to GET more votes.
Him declaring that he had ‘earned’ the position, openly moving into the Speaker office and then ham-handedly threatening the defectors went over exactly as anybody with a brain would expect, and not a single one moved (and in fact, an ADDITIONAL vote defected, making it 20 now that voted against him).
Today just boggles my mind. OK, so you make the first vote, thinking maybe a few of them were just making a protest and they’d fall in line in the second. That’s kind of naive and stupid, but I at least follow the logic there.
But why would you just call a 3rd vote without changing anything? They didn’t move on the 2nd vote, they’re not going to move on a 3rd vote. All it did was make McCarthy look weak and stupid.
Has anyone stopped to think that if McCarthy cannot get 218 votes to become speaker, how is he going to get anything passed if he becomes speaker?