House Speaker Election in Limbo as McCarthy Fails to Win Majority in Multiple Votes

The House Speaker election remains in limbo as Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) failed to win majority in fourth, fifth and sixth votes.

Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana became the 21st Republican member-elect to not support McCarthy on Wednesday, joining a small but determined faction of Republicans in the Freedom Caucus and all Democrats in opposing McCarthy. This leaves the House in limbo for a second day since the institution can’t function without first electing a speaker.

The 20 anti-McCarthy Republicans represent less than 10% of the House GOP and have thrown their support behind Rep. Byron Donalds, a Florida Republican serving in his first term. Former President Donald Trump has reiterated his support for McCarthy in a statement on his website Wednesday.

The hardliners are less than half the ultraconservative, ultra-MAGA wing of lawmakers, but McCarthy’s candidacy has split the group. Despite this, they are sort of gaining support.