WASHINGTON: The new US Congress was thrown into disarray on Tuesday as renegade right-wing Republicans blocked frontrunner Kevin McCarthy from becoming the president of the House of Representatives in a series of humiliating votes seen as a rebuke to the party establishment.
The California congressman needed a simple majority to be elected as Washington’s top lawmaker, who presides over House business and is second in line to the presidency.
But for the first time in a century, Republicans failed to elect a speaker in a thrilling first three ballots – given full coverage on US television networks.
Rather than celebrate their new control of the House, the party faces an endless struggle to elect a president who could further deepen internal divisions — and put McCarthy’s political career on the line.
The 57-year-old needed 218 votes in the lower house, which rose to a narrow Republican majority of 222-212 after last year’s midterm elections.
But he failed to field the party’s rebels, including several high-profile allies of former President Donald Trump, and he was shocked by 19 “no” votes for his side in each of the first two rounds, dropping to 20 in the third.
His performance was so weak that he lost to Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on each of the first three ballots – although there’s no doubt a Republican will ultimately claim the president’s gavel.
McCarthy has long coveted the role, having pulled out of the running in 2015 amid a number of gaffes and a right-wing uprising.
This time he was again sparked by far-right rebels, though he gave in to their calls to push aggressive investigations into Democrats, including Speaker Joe Biden, after they took control of the House. .
Lawmakers agreed to adjourn until Wednesday amid growing momentum among Republicans to regroup overnight, lick their wounds and formulate a strategy to turn a catastrophic defeat into an unlikely face-saving victory.
“Reality is Rep Kevin McCarthy doesn’t have the votes,” Florida’s Byron Donalds said in a statement before the adjournment, urging other party conference members to “pause and huddle” in search of a breakthrough.
The last time it took more than one ballot to choose a speaker at the start of a new Congress was a century ago, in 1923. A speaker selection process in 1855 required 133 ballots over two months.
McCarthy – who had tried to avoid small cliques straying from the ground to hold their own negotiations – originally planned to keep members in the room and voting until he had managed to coerce his rivals to submit.
Some lawmakers and staff supporting McCarthy had started the day but said he would have to step down if he couldn’t get the hammer in the second round, US media reported.
The House is expected to hold further polls from noon (17:00 GMT) on Wednesday until someone emerges with a majority – and it is not ruled out that a new candidate who has not been part of the process may arise.
One of the obstacles to anointing McCarthy was the perception by some on the far right in his party that he is not loyal enough to Trump, who is running for the White House again after losing to Biden. in 2020.
No credible Republican alternative to McCarthy had emerged during the adjournment, though an obvious name would be new House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a McCarthyite who nonetheless made it clear he had ambitions of his own.
The “Never Kevin” crowd is likely to see Scalise as more of the same, though.
McCarthy, who defied a subpoena from the House panel investigating the 2021 assault on the Capitol, has already promised extremists investigations into Biden’s family and administration, as well as the FBI and CIA .
But the more he is seen as yielding to the right, the more likely he is to alienate moderates, sparking open warfare between Senate and House Republicans, where there is already little love lost.
All was not catastrophic for Republicans in Congress.
The Senate also reconvened for its new term on Tuesday, with Mitch McConnell, who leads the Republican minority, breaking the record for longest-serving Senate leader.
“There is so much unnecessary turmoil in the Republican Party,” Trump said on Truth Social after the House adjourned on Tuesday night — making a point of blaming McConnell in particular for the divisions, and without mentioning McCarthy or the chaos of the House.
The California congressman needed a simple majority to be elected as Washington’s top lawmaker, who presides over House business and is second in line to the presidency.
But for the first time in a century, Republicans failed to elect a speaker in a thrilling first three ballots – given full coverage on US television networks.
Rather than celebrate their new control of the House, the party faces an endless struggle to elect a president who could further deepen internal divisions — and put McCarthy’s political career on the line.
The 57-year-old needed 218 votes in the lower house, which rose to a narrow Republican majority of 222-212 after last year’s midterm elections.
But he failed to field the party’s rebels, including several high-profile allies of former President Donald Trump, and he was shocked by 19 “no” votes for his side in each of the first two rounds, dropping to 20 in the third.
His performance was so weak that he lost to Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on each of the first three ballots – although there’s no doubt a Republican will ultimately claim the president’s gavel.
McCarthy has long coveted the role, having pulled out of the running in 2015 amid a number of gaffes and a right-wing uprising.
This time he was again sparked by far-right rebels, though he gave in to their calls to push aggressive investigations into Democrats, including Speaker Joe Biden, after they took control of the House. .
Lawmakers agreed to adjourn until Wednesday amid growing momentum among Republicans to regroup overnight, lick their wounds and formulate a strategy to turn a catastrophic defeat into an unlikely face-saving victory.
“Reality is Rep Kevin McCarthy doesn’t have the votes,” Florida’s Byron Donalds said in a statement before the adjournment, urging other party conference members to “pause and huddle” in search of a breakthrough.
The last time it took more than one ballot to choose a speaker at the start of a new Congress was a century ago, in 1923. A speaker selection process in 1855 required 133 ballots over two months.
McCarthy – who had tried to avoid small cliques straying from the ground to hold their own negotiations – originally planned to keep members in the room and voting until he had managed to coerce his rivals to submit.
Some lawmakers and staff supporting McCarthy had started the day but said he would have to step down if he couldn’t get the hammer in the second round, US media reported.
The House is expected to hold further polls from noon (17:00 GMT) on Wednesday until someone emerges with a majority – and it is not ruled out that a new candidate who has not been part of the process may arise.
One of the obstacles to anointing McCarthy was the perception by some on the far right in his party that he is not loyal enough to Trump, who is running for the White House again after losing to Biden. in 2020.
No credible Republican alternative to McCarthy had emerged during the adjournment, though an obvious name would be new House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a McCarthyite who nonetheless made it clear he had ambitions of his own.
The “Never Kevin” crowd is likely to see Scalise as more of the same, though.
McCarthy, who defied a subpoena from the House panel investigating the 2021 assault on the Capitol, has already promised extremists investigations into Biden’s family and administration, as well as the FBI and CIA .
But the more he is seen as yielding to the right, the more likely he is to alienate moderates, sparking open warfare between Senate and House Republicans, where there is already little love lost.
All was not catastrophic for Republicans in Congress.
The Senate also reconvened for its new term on Tuesday, with Mitch McConnell, who leads the Republican minority, breaking the record for longest-serving Senate leader.
“There is so much unnecessary turmoil in the Republican Party,” Trump said on Truth Social after the House adjourned on Tuesday night — making a point of blaming McConnell in particular for the divisions, and without mentioning McCarthy or the chaos of the House.
