WASHINGTON – House Republicans and their new majority had a turbulent first day in the new Congress on Tuesday after GOP hard-liners and centrists failed to elect a speaker to lead the chamber.
The turmoil was a sharp contrast to the confidence Republicans exuded months earlier during the 2022 midterm campaign, when many had touted how the border crisis, crime and inflation would bring a unified conservative “red wave” into Washington to hold President Joe Biden accountable.
Instead, Election Day turned into a ripple.
The narrower-than expected GOP majority allowed far-right conservatives to stiff-arm Republican leader Kevin McCarthy from ascending to the speaker role. It was the first time in a century that a speaker’s election took multiple ballots to decide.
And there was still no speaker as day turned to evening and the House adjourned after three ballots to reconvene at noon Wednesday, which meant no other business could begin in the House.
“We all came here to get things done,” Rep. Steve Scalise, the House GOP whip, said in a floor speech ahead of the vote on a third ballot.
“Let’s rise to this challenge,” Scalise, of Louisiana, said in front of a packed floor. “And let’s start by electing Kevin McCarthy as speaker.”
Stay in the conversation on politics: Sign up for the OnPolitics newsletter
Each time a House GOP leader nominated McCarthy, however, another member sought to elevate a rival Republican member to the speakership, which resulted in a stalemate between the Freedom Caucus conservatives who see McCarthy as too moderate and McCarthy’s supporters who say he’s earned the gavel.
Rep. Chip Roy, of Texas, who opposes McCarthy, said voters want a change to how the House conducts business, particularly on spending bills such as the recently passed $1.7 trillion spending package. He said that starts with elevating new leaders.
“This is not personal. It’s not,” Roy said. “This is about the future of the country. This is about the direction of the country.”
More: The new Congress will pick a speaker, potentially launch investigations and more
Here are the top takeaways:
McCarthy fails on first two ballots
In the first two ballots McCarthy, of California, secured only 203 votes – well short of the 218 needed votes – after 19 other Republicans chose other members.
Politics: Biden agenda faces uphill climb in new Congress as Republicans take over House
By the third ballot the GOP leader began to lose support after Rep. Byron Donalds, of Florida, changed his choice. He said McCarthy “doesn’t have the votes” to win.
“Our conference needs to recess and huddle and find someone or work out the next steps, but these continuous votes aren’t working for anyone, ” Donalds said in a tweet Tuesday.
All three times McCarthy received fewer votes than House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, of New York, the first African American to be chosen as a leader of a major party in Congress.
Jeffries consistently held all 212 of his members, though it was not enough reach the needed 218 votes under House rules to win the speakership himself.
Emerging as a potential GOP alternative was Ohio’s Jim Jordan, a firebrand who has allies in both the Freedom Caucus and McCarthy’s inner circle.
While he nominated McCarthy and voted for him as speaker, Jordan also drew the most votes from the anti-McCarthy Republicans.
War of words splits House GOP
Ahead of vote, the GOP House majority was vocally split as McCarthy’s opponents and supports traded verbal jabs.
Leading the critics was Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who used a news conference Tuesday to scorch McCarthy. He said the Republican leader refused to concede to fundamental rule changes that would give hard-liners more say in how the House is run.
“If you want to drain the swamp, you cannot put the biggest alligator in charge of the exercise,” Gaetz said. “I am a Florida man, and I know of what I speak.”
But McCarthy’s supporters expressed dismay over the GOP being unable to elect a speaker.
Chief among them being Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. One of the most conservative members of Congress, Greene recently allied with McCarthy after he promised to put her on committees following her loss of appointments in the last Congress.
Greene, of Georgia, told reporters she was “furious” about Republican opposition to his speaker bid.
In response to the backlash, McCarthy said his critics cared more about themselves than the will of the voters who ushered in a GOP majority. He also singled out Gaetz, saying he would prefer Jeffries to be House speaker instead.
“Matt Gaetz said ‘I don’t care if we go to plurality and we elect Hakeem Jeffries,'” McCarthy told reporters, recounting a comment he accused the Florida representative of making.
What about George Santos?
As if the GOP didn’t have enough distractions.
Rep.-elect George Santos, of New York, has been embroiled in controversy after reports found he made up multiple parts of his biography during the 2022 midterm campaign.
The 34-year-old Republican, who is under investigation by New York prosecutors, admitted he lied about his educational achievements, his ancestry and his employment. He was in the chamber Tuesday for the speaker vote.
Politics: What can Congress do about Rep.-elect George Santos, who lied ahead of winning his election?
More: Pelosi’s legacy. ‘A troublemaker with a gavel’ leaves her mark, from health care to impeachment
On the first three ballots, Santos voted for McCarthy. Like all other members of the House, he can take part in the vote for speaker though he won’t be sworn in until after one is chosen.
Meanwhile, in the Senate …
Across the Capitol, the Senate had a more tranquil process on the new Congress’ first day after swearing in seven new members.
Democrats hold a fragile majority, with 48 senators and two independents who caucus with them.
What’s unknown is how much Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s decision to ditch the Democrats and register as an independent will affect the chamber.
Sinema, of Arizona, has made clear she won’t caucus with the GOP and has said she would huddle with her former party.
But she also has indicated having a more detached role than the Senate’s two other independents – Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Angus King of Maine – who typically support the Democratic agenda.
Politics: Notable lawmakers to know: McCarthy, Schumer and other leaders of the 118th Congress in 2023
More: Kyrsten Sinema leaves Democratic Party, registers as independent
Democrats will still be able to break 50-50 ties with Vice President Kamala Harris, but that could be more complicated if Sinema and Joe Manchin of West Virginia, who often breaks with his party, join forces.
McConnell makes history
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell might be taking heat from some within his own party after the GOP failed to seize the Senate, but he sailed into the history books Tuesday by becoming the longest-serving party leader in Senate history.
The Kentucky Republican, first elected to Congress in 1984 and leadership in 2007, surpassed former Montana Sen. Mike Mansfield, who served as Democratic leader from 1961 to 1977.
McConnell survived a challenge last month from fellow Republican Sen. Rick Scott, of Florida, and was reelected party leader, 37-10.