Washington: What was expected to be a day of triumph for House Republicans coming into the majority turned into chaos Tuesday as interparty fighting over who should lead them in their new reign ended with no speaker in the rostrum. Republicans failed to elect a speaker after Kevin McCarthy came short of overcoming opposition from the right flank of his party following an hourslong series of votes on the first day of the new Congress.
The opposition from 20 lawmakers, including some of the chamber's most conservative members, to McCarthy's speakership handicapped the House's ability to start its work and delayed the ceremonial swearing-in of hundreds of returning members and freshmen. GOP lawmakers on Wednesday will try once again to elect a speaker despite uncertainty over how McCarthy could rebound after becoming the first House speaker nominee in 100 years to fail to win the gavel with his party in the majority.
What to know as the House heads into the second day of the speaker election:
WHY IS THERE NO SPEAKER?
Needing 218 votes in the full House, McCarthy received just 203 in the first two rounds of voting on the first day — less even than Democrat Hakeem Jeffries in the GOP-controlled chamber — and fared even worse with 202 in round three. A growing chorus of detractors warned for months that the California Republican did not have the votes to win the constitutionally mandated office, which would make him second in line to the presidency. In response, McCarthy negotiated endlessly with members, including Reps. Andy Biggs, Scott Perry and Matt Gaetz, to win their support.
The negotiations went up until Monday night when members of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus presented McCarthy with their final offer, which included demands for certain committee assignments in exchange for their votes. McCarthy refused to oblige, saying he had gone far enough to appease the lawmakers.
"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," McCarthy told reporters early Tuesday. As a result, those members and more than a dozen others openly opposed him on the floor.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE CHAMBER?
Without a speaker, the House cannot fully form since that person effectively serves as the chamber's presiding officer and the institution's administrative head. Swearing in members, naming committee chairs, engaging in floor proceedings and launching oversight investigations will all be delayed until a speaker is elected and sworn into office.