After chaotic scenes in Congress, Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, was elected speaker of the House of Representatives.
The 57 year-old suffered one final humiliation when Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew on the 14th ballot just as midnight approached.
McCarthy’s victory in round 15 ended the longest congressional dysfunctional period in more than 160 year.
But he made it very clear the difficulties he would face leading a narrowly polarized majority. McCarthy won narrowly, 216 to212.
He was able get elected with votes from less that half of the House of Representatives members because six members of his party withheld votes. They were not voting for him as leader but also not voting to challenge him.
McCarthy shared the following words with fellow cheering Republicans: “My father always said to me, ‘It’s not the way that you start, it’s the way that you end.'”
President Joe Biden congratulated Joe on his success, and said he was “ready for work with Republicans” whenever he could.
California promised subpoenas to California and investigations. California declared, “Now the hard work starts.”
Republicans cheered and chanted “America!” to celebrate his victory. USA!”
McCarthy was elected president. The House of Representatives can now take the oath of the newly elected lawmakers, who have waited all week for the official opening of the chamber and the beginning of the 2023/24 session.
After four days of exhausting polling, McCarthy converted more than a dozen of the chamber’s Freedom Caucus members into supporters.
He lost one vote in the fourteenth ballot and the room became noisy.
McCarthy marched to the rear of the auditorium in opposition to Republican Matt Gaetz, who was seated with Lorraine Boebert (and other strongholds).
There were a lot of words and pointed fingers, and violence was apparently avoided.
One time, Mike Rogers, Republican Representative of Alabama, shouted at Gates and Richard Hudson physically pulled him off the ground.
“Stay civil!” Someone shouted.
One time, Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene was seen waving a cellphone in a call to someone who was saved with “DT,” meaning that it was former President Donald Trump.
The GOP member from Georgia shared a photo on Twitter and wrote: “It’s a perfect phone conversation.”
After restoring order, McCarthy was finally granted the position he had worked so hard for, Speaker of House, second in line to the presidency.
What started as a political novelty, which was the first time since 1923 that a candidate hadn’t won the first vote, quickly turned into a bitter feud and a potential crisis.
Jeffries of New York was the Democratic leader before Friday’s ballot. He won the most votes, but also fell short of a majority. McCarthy came in second place and gained no ground.
The longest-running battle for the gavel lasted two months in late 1855. It was triggered by debates about slavery in the lead-up to the Civil War.
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