After four days of deadlock: Kevin McCarthy elected chairman of the US House of Representatives
Created: 2023-01-08 04:55
Kevin McCarthy after his election as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
© IMAGO/UPI Photo
It worked in the 15th ballot: Republican Kevin McCarthy was elected Chairman of the US House of Representatives.
Update from January 7, 7:05 a.m .:
After a historic four-day stalemate, Republican candidate Kevin McCarthy has been elected President of the US House of Representatives for the 15th time.
The 57-year-old achieved the required simple majority on Saturday night (local time) after the Republicans were able to overcome internal party resistance.
It was the longest election for the so-called Speaker of the House for 160 years.
Chaos in the US Congress: McCarthy also loses in the 14th ballot – riots in the House of Representatives
Update from January 7, 6:28 a.m .:
The historic debacle for the Republican Party in the US House of Representatives continues: Kevin McCarthy also failed in the 14th round in the election of the Chairman of the House of Representatives.
Contrary to what was last expected, he was unable to secure the required majority in the vote on Friday evening (local time) and again failed due to resistance from his own ranks.
This makes the election of the "speaker of the house" one of the longest in history.
Almost fisticuffs in the election of the chairman of the House of Representatives
After the 14th round of voting, McCarthy approached the group of dissenters and supporters of former President Donald Trump.
There was a riot.
Because in the meantime there was a heated exchange between the two camps of supporters and opponents of McCarthy and almost fisticuffs, as could be seen on live video recordings.
McCarthy was still optimistic that afternoon.
"I counted the votes," he told journalists.
Most recently, the Republican had already been able to win over some dissenters from his own party.
However, this was not enough for the necessary majority.
McCarthy had previously made far-reaching concessions to his opponents in the Republican ranks.
The election marathon in the House of Representatives is an embarrassment of historic proportions for the opposition Republicans, who have held a majority in the Congress Chamber since the midterm elections in November.
The last time an election process lasted longer than the current one dates back to before the American Civil War: in 1856, the members of parliament only agreed after two months and 133 votes.
Without a chair, the deputies cannot be sworn in, form committees and begin drafting legislation.
The election is repeated until a candidate achieves a simple majority in the House of Representatives.
Update from January 6, 9:57 p.m .:
In the fight for the post of chairman in the US House of Representatives, Republican candidate Kevin McCarthy has made progress after days of standstill: in the twelfth round of elections on Friday, 14 of 20 ultra-right MPs in his own party voted for him for the first time who had previously refused to give him their voice.
In the thirteenth round of voting, he was also able to win another MP, as the
New York Times
reported on Friday evening.
This means that 15 of 20 defectors voted for the Republican.
The chamber meanwhile agreed on a break of several hours on Friday.
The next round of voting should therefore not take place again until 10 p.m. (local time).
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Tailwind for McCarthy: Election in the US House of Representatives picks up speed
McCarthy's newly won votes still did not secure the required majority, but for the first time he did win more votes than his Democratic candidate, Hakeem Jeffries.
McCarthy had previously made far-reaching concessions to his opponents in the Republican ranks.
In the first eleven ballots, 20 ultra-right Republican MPs voted against McCarthy, who consider him too moderate and question his loyalty to ex-President Donald Trump.
Election in the US Congress: McCarthy has to accept the next defeat in the House of Representatives
Update from January 6, 7:00 p.m.:
The result of the twelfth ballot in the US Congress is official.
Even in the 12th ballot for the presidency of the US House of Representatives, Republican Kevin McCarthy did not win the necessary majority of votes.
After all, the Republican faction leader booked at least a partial success, since some of his previous dissenters were able to change their minds, so that the necessary majority for the successful election as speaker in the US House of Representatives is increasingly moving.
Chaos in the US Congress: McCarthy also fails in the twelfth ballot in the US House of Representatives
Update from January 6, 7:00 p.m.:
The twelfth round of the House of Representatives has not yet been counted and it is already clear that Kevin McCarthy will have to accept the next defeat.
Because with already six Republican dissenters, the required majority for the presidency as speaker of the US House of Representatives is only theoretically within reach.
Thoughtful: Kevin McCarthy during the second round of voting.
© Alex Brandon/AP/dpa
Update from January 6, 7:11 a.m .:
The election of a new speaker for the US House of Representatives failed again on Thursday (see previous update).
Despite the Republican majority, their candidate Kevin McCarthy did not receive the necessary number of votes because conservative hardliners again voted against him in five election rounds.
After a total of eleven unsuccessful votes within three days, the MPs adjourned until Friday noon (local time, 6:00 p.m. CET).
In the seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth and eleventh votes, as before, around 20 of his 221 Republican colleagues refused to approve.
However, McCarthy can only afford four dissenters in his own ranks to gain the necessary majority.
McCarthy had made far-reaching concessions to his opponents in the Republican ranks on Thursday night.
However, this did not change the rejection of his candidacy by the representatives of the ultra-right wing of the party.
A number of right-wing Republicans consider McCarthy to be too moderate and question his loyalty to ex-President Donald Trump.
Sad record in the US Congress: McCarthy also fails in the tenth ballot
Update from January 5, 12:15 a.m .:
Sad record in the US Congress: Kevin McCarthy also had to accept the tenth defeat in the House of Representatives election in the tenth ballot.
The Republicans were therefore unable to agree on a new speaker in the tenth ballot on Thursday.
Even before the seventh vote, faction leader Kevin McCarthy had made considerable concessions to his opponents from the right wing of the faction, but as in the previous elections, it was not enough for his tenth attempt to be elected speaker in the US House of Representatives.
Sad record in the US Congress: McCarthy also fails in the tenth ballot
Of the 222 Republicans, only 201 members voted for McCarthy;
13 votes united on Byron Donalds and seven votes went to Kevin Hern.
This extends the sad record in the vote in the US House of Representatives.
In 1923, nine ballots were necessary to elect a chairman.
Even then, the whole thing lasted several days.
It took the longest in 1855-56, when the House of Representatives took two months to vote and 133 ballots, but McCarthy and his Republicans still have a long way to go to break that historic record.
Republican Matt Gaetz, a prominent anti-establishment Republican in the media, gave his vote this time to former US President Donald Trump, who is not even part of Congress and who campaigned for McCathy's election.
On the other hand, Democratic nominee Hakeem Jeffries captured all 212 of his faction's votes for the seventh time.
One Republican also abstained.
Overall, candidates need 218 votes to be elected speaker of the US House of Representatives.
Defeat in the US Congress: McCarthy also fails in the ninth ballot
Update from January 5, 10:58 p.m .:
After the ninth vote, the presidency of the US House of Representatives is not certain again.
Republican Kevin McCarthy got 200 votes and Democrat Hakeem Jeffries got 212 votes.
Twenty-one Republican lawmakers either voted for other candidates or abstained, with McCarthy needing 17 of the votes for a majority.
Thus, the Republican lost one vote compared to the previous ballot.
Immediately after the vote, the Republicans again nominated Kevin McCarthy as their nominee for the post of Chairman of the US House of Representatives, and the Democrats will also be running with Hakeem Jeffries.
This will result in a tenth ballot.
The front between the group around MP and Trump fan Matt Gaetz and the majority of the Republican party seems hardened, with no solution in sight at the moment.
New record in voting in the US House of Representatives
New record in the power struggle in the US Congress: Since the 19th century, the members of the House of Representatives have not needed so many attempts to elect a new chairman.
Republican Kevin McCarthy did not get the necessary majority to secure the top job in the House of Representatives in the ninth ballot on Thursday.
This means that at least one more attempt is necessary.
There have not been so many elections since 1859/1860.
Republican William Pennington was only elected chairman in the 44th ballot.
The procedure took several weeks.
The current power struggle already had a historical dimension.
It is the first time in a hundred years that it takes several attempts to fill the top position.
In 1923, nine ballots were needed to elect a chairman.
Even then, the whole thing lasted several days.
It took the longest in 1855/56 - at that time the parliamentary chamber needed two months for the election and 133 ballots.
McCarthy again lost out in the eighth ballot
Update from January 5, 9:24 p.m .:
Kevin McCarthy could not win a majority in the eighth ballot either, so the presidency of the US House of Representatives could not be determined again.
The Republican received 201 votes, while his Democratic opponent Hakeem Jeffries received 212 votes.
21 Republican MPs refused McCarthy their vote.
McCarthy also fails in the seventh ballot – critics vote for Trump
Update from January 5, 7:30 p.m .:
Even in the seventh ballot for the presidency in the US House of Representatives, Republican MP Kevin McCarthy was unable to gather a majority behind him.
One of his biggest critics, the ardent Trump supporter Matt Gaetz, even voted for the former US President.
When voting, MPs can also vote for people who are not members of the US Congress.
Trump is given no realistic chance of being elected speaker of the House of Representatives.
The former president previously backed Republican nominee Kevin McCarthy.
This has now failed in seven ballots because some opponents of the party refuse to vote.
They belong to the right fringe of the party and are Trump supporters.
However, the ex-president's appeal left her cold.
Republican Rep. Byron Donalds received 19 votes.
McCarthy shows "desperation": candidate now failed in six ballots
First report:
Washington - With new concessions by Republican Kevin McCarthy to his opponents, the power struggle for the highest office in the US Parliament is entering the next round.
The House of Representatives was due to reconvene this Thursday - a new vote on the chair of the House of Representatives was expected.
Previously, there had been negotiations behind the scenes.
However, it was still completely open as to whether McCarthy had managed to unite his opponents in the party behind him.
He was opposed by ardent supporters of former President Donald Trump in previous votes.
According to reports, McCarthy has once again taken a big step towards his party opponents in order to secure their votes and break the deadlock.
The 57-year-old is said to have even agreed to further lower the hurdles for removing a chairman from the House of Representatives.
He offers his opponents a means of pressure to chase him out of office at will.
This could have serious consequences and create even more instability when important decisions are due in Congress.
The right-wing MPs could hold the Chamber hostage.
McCarthy had already come a long way to accommodate the renegades on this point - but without success.
He is now showing a new level of "despair," judged the broadcaster CNN.
McCarthy fails six ballots: Remains short of required majority
McCarthy had previously failed six ballots.
For two days he failed to obtain the required majority for the election of the head of the parliamentary chamber and was embarrassed.
If McCarthy cannot come to terms with opponents in his party, he may attempt to negotiate with the Democrats.
They could help him win the elections by abstaining in their ranks, for example, because that would reduce the number of votes needed.
It would also be possible for a new candidate to be put forward that the Republicans could agree on.
But talks with the Democrats about a consensus candidate that they would support would also be conceivable.
The fact that the Democrats currently seem to be very happy to see McCarthy fail was shown on Wednesday evening.
After a break, MPs met again.
McCarthy had previously said that another vote that evening would not be successful - so one of his confidants asked for the meeting to be adjourned.
However, the Democrats opposed the project.
Only at the last moment was the motion passed by a razor-thin Republican majority.
Video: US Republicans despair over election chaos in Congress
On Tuesday and Wednesday, several Republicans refused to support their party colleague McCarthy and voted for other candidates in the election for the presidency.
20 Republicans rallied behind opposition candidate Byron Donalds in Wednesday's ballot.
McCarthy's opponents had nominated the Republican.
With Republicans holding a narrow majority in the House of Commons, McCarthy needs almost every vote in his party to be elected leader.
(dpa/fmü)
