It took a marathon of 15 votes and took an almost physical blow, but in the end, every Republican who had opposed Kevin McCarthy’s bid for Speaker of the House for months declined. In the early hours of Saturday, he took the coveted position for years.
Unlike most of the week’s monotony, there was plenty of drama on the night, with McCarthy supporter Rep. Mike Rogers physically detained by Rep. Matt Gates after Friday night’s first vote.
But McCarthy, a 57-year-old California congressman, became the 53rd Speaker of the House, succeeding Democrat Nancy Pelosi. Although he obtained the Chairman’s Gavel, the concessions he made to a block of members of the House Freedom Caucus are likely to weaken him. remains.
After a large number of votes failed, Mr McCarthy’s outlook began to change in Thursday’s late-night talks, when he began to yield to demands of members of the Freedom Caucus. We won over 14 of them, setting up the 14th vote of the week at 10pm. Due to the emergency he left DC, his two Republicans returned to increase his numbers. Colorado Rep. Ken Buck returned after a medical appointment, and Texas freshman Rep. Wesley Hunt said: Gone He is at home with his wife and a premature baby who was in the neonatal intensive care unit.
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