For the first time in 100 years, the House of Representatives has not found a leader after three ballots. But Republican Kevin McCarthy isn’t giving up.
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- Backing McCarthy: Rep. Greene walks in USA on party colleagues
- Who will be Speaker of the House of Representatives: Three possible alternatives in choosing the Speaker for the House of Representatives
+++ 8.30 a.m.: Democrats in the US House of Representatives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were in high spirits. The Republicans were also unable to agree on a speaker in three rounds of voting. For Kevin McCarthy, an embarrassment the likes of which the United States Congress hasn’t seen in over 100 years.
Even if Kevin McCarthy does not want to give up and wants to stand again for election as speaker of the US House of Representatives after three failed attempts on Wednesday, the alternatives are already forming behind the Republican. These include the following politicians:
Kevin McCarthy fails in the US House of Representatives: Possible alternatives
- Steve Scalise: The Republican represents a district in the US state of Louisiana. He is considered a confidant of Kevin McCarthy, which makes his election chances look rather poor.
- Jim Jordan: The Republican from the US state of Ohio has been one of the leading conservative figures in Congress for years. He, too, has meanwhile sided with Kevin McCarthy, but has not ruled out his own ambitions for the role of leader.
- Patrick McHenry: The North Carolina congressman is an outsider among the Republicans and has repeatedly expressed that he has no interest in the speaker’s role. But he could be useful as a kind of emergency hook for the party.
Update from January 4, 6:20 a.m.: After several unsuccessful rounds of voting, the US House of Representatives will continue voting on the most powerful post in the American Parliament this Wednesday. Earlier, Republican Kevin McCarthy failed to get the required majority in the election to the House of Representatives three times. For the 57-year-old, this is a historic defeat and public exposure. It was now completely open how McCarthy would secure the missing votes in the hours leading up to the next vote on Wednesday afternoon (local time/6:00 p.m. CET). At the same time, names of alternative candidates for the post were already circulating.
It is also unclear whether the members of parliament who have so far been loyal to McCarthy will continue to do so. McCarthy had been combative just before the session and said: “I hold the record for the longest speech in the plenary session.” He has no problem setting a record for the most ballots in a vote for the presidency in the House of Representatives. Until the presidency is clarified, nothing works: the Congress Chamber cannot start its work, not even the new MPs can be sworn in.
Defeat in Congress: Republicans rebel against McCarthy on the open stage
+++ 11 p.m.: In the relentless power struggle of the Republicans for the presidency of the US House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy suffered a defeat in the third ballot. Again, several party colleagues refused to support him and instead voted for Republican Congressman Jim Jordan.
+++ 10.15 p.m.: After the second ballot could not produce a winner either, the third ballot has now started. The choices are again McCarthy, Jeffries and Jordan.
Historic defeat in Congress: McCarthy also loses in the second ballot
+++ 9.25 p.m.: The second round of voting – which has not happened for a century – ends in a bitter defeat for McCarthy. House Secretary Cheryl Johnson will announce the official vote count shortly. According to The Guardian can be attributed to Democrat Hakeem Jeffries 212 votes, McCarthy 203 votes – the same weak number as in the first round – and Republican Jim Jordan 19 votes.
+++ 9 p.m.: The second ballot is in progress. Once again, the 434 members of parliament will vote on the next speaker of the House of Representatives. There was no break between votes. how The Guardian reported, McCarthy was re-nominated by Republican Jim Jordan. California Democrat Pete Aguilar is reinstating Minority Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries as his party’s spokesman. Florida right-wing rebel Matt Gaetz nominates Jim Jordan as speaker.
Sensation in Congress: McCarthy loses first ballot
+++ 8.15 p.m.: It’s a historic defeat for Republican Kevin McCarthy. In the first attempt, the Republican faction leader could not achieve a majority to be elected speaker of the US House of Representatives. The last time it happened was a hundred years ago that the vote for the powerful office required more than one ballot and a parliamentary group refused to support its candidate in the first round.
The post of Speaker of the House of Representatives is the third most senior post in the United States, after the President and Vice President. Democrat Nancy Pelosi took office last year. Several party colleagues had already announced in advance that they would refuse McCarthy their vote. But the failed one showed himself combative even before the result of the first ballot. “I hold the record for the longest speech in plenary,” he said, adding that he had no problem setting a record for the most ballots in a House of Representatives vote.
The final result of the first ballot is as follows: 212 votes for Hakeem Jeffries (Democrat), 203 votes for Kevin McCarthy (Republican), 10 votes for Andy Biggs (Republican) and 9 votes for other candidates.
McCarthy gets backing: Greene agitates against party colleagues
+++ 7.40 p.m.: The Republican faction leader, Kevin McCarthy, has now received backing from the controversial right-wing MP Marjorie Taylor Greene in the struggle for his presidency in the US House of Representatives. In a conversation with reporters in the Capitol, Greene lashed out at her colleagues. She named several politicians who would want to harm McCarthy. “They’re proving to the country that they don’t care about doing what’s right for America… they’re just destroyers. That’s why Republicans fail, and I’m really sick of it,” Greene told the news service Mediate quoted.
Mentioned by name were politicians Matt Gaetz, Lauren Boebert, Chip Roy, Bob Good and Scott Perry. According to Greene, Representatives “just don’t like McCarthy” and were asking for important committee positions in exchange for their vote. In this context, the right-wing extremist politician did not leave a good hair on her colleagues and criticized them, among other things, for having accepted millions of dollars in support from McCarthy in the past and now opposing him. In addition, in the past, Republican Scott Perry would have opposed the party agenda on important decisions, such as the ban on gay marriage, and advocated the possibility of same-sex marriage.
Greene repeatedly emphasized that she herself had not made any demands on McCarthy: “I’m the only Republican who doesn’t have any committees. So you’d think I’d be the one asking for something there. But I didn’t do that.” McCarthy needs 218 votes to be elected to the presidency of the House of Representatives. The Republicans are represented with a total of 222 votes.
Power struggle among US Republicans: McCarthy goes on the offensive
Update from Tuesday, January 3, 5:45 p.m.: In the intra-party battle for the presidency of the US House of Representatives, Republican faction leader Kevin McCarthy has gone on the offensive. His opponents are only concerned with personal advancement, not with the country, McCarthy said on Tuesday shortly before the inaugural session of the newly elected Congress.
McCarthy wants to be elected powerful chairman of the chamber there, but has to deal with a rebellion from party colleagues who refuse to vote for him. In recent weeks, McCarthy had tried to persuade his critics to change their minds with all sorts of concessions behind the scenes – without success. McCarthy revealed that on Monday he was told that he would only get the necessary votes if he provided certain members of the group with certain offices and budgets.
First meeting in US Congress could become election crime – uprising against McCarthy
First report from Tuesday, January 3rd: Washington – After the Midterms it’s coming in November US-Kongress on Tuesday (January 3rd) together for the first time in a new constellation. An unusual election thriller about the most powerful post in the American Parliament is imminent.
Republicans take control of the House of Representatives. in the senatethe second chamber of parliament, have the democrats from President Joe Biden still a slim majority. The start of the new legislative period is overshadowed by a Republican power struggle for leadership House of Representatives.
Election thriller in the US Congress: Kevin McCarthy wants to chair the chamber
Of the Party leader Kevin McCarthy, wants to be elected chairman of the chamber. The post that in recent years the Democrat Nancy Pelosi occupies third place in the national hierarchy after the president and his vice president. Several Party colleagues, however, rebelled against McCarthy – and in view of a narrow majority of the Republicans, he had great difficulty to secure enough votes in his own ranks for the election. The rebellion against him could delay the usual procedure or possibly throw it into chaos.
The Republican faction in the House of Representatives, like the entire party, is torn between right-wing supporters of the ex-president Donald Trump and more moderate party members. Faced with a slim majority, McCarthy must unite the various wings behind him and win over members even from the very fringes of his faction. However, five Republicans have publicly announced that they will not vote for McCarthy. Others also showed resistance. But given the majority, McCarthy can hardly afford to dissent.
Election thriller in the US Congress: A majority of 218 votes is required for the presidency of the chamber
The election to the chair of the House of Representatives is the first major item on the agenda of the inaugural session. Until the presidency is clarified, nothing works: the Chamber of Congress cannot start its work, it is not even possible for the new MPs to be sworn in.
In the simplest scenario, a majority of 218 votes is required for the election to the chair of the chamber – if all 434 newly elected parliamentarians are present and vote for a candidate. Should some of them abstain, the necessary majority would be correspondingly smaller. If McCarthy were to fail the first ballot and further ballots were necessary, it would be a minor sensation. (hg/dpa)