Republican leader Kevin McCarthy repeatedly fell short in his campaign to become Speaker of the US House of Representatives on a day marked by intense political drama.
On Tuesday evening, the House adjourned without electing a speaker, the first time this had happened since the first round of elections in 1923.
The beginning of a new Congress was meant to be the Republican Party’s victory lap after winning control of the lower chamber in the elections held in November. Instead, Mr. McCarthy encountered an internal uprising and made history for all the wrong reasons.
Negotiations Gave Him A Weak Appearance
Republicans narrowly took control of the House in November, therefore Mr. McCarthy’s campaign to become Speaker was successful with a small margin of victory. That made it possible for a group of staunch conservatives to unite and reject his nomination.
Republicans who follow politics claim that the gap has been building for a while.
One Republican lobbyist who wanted to speak openly about Tuesday’s vote requested anonymity. “Kevin McCarthy has not made friends with certain segments of the caucus for a while, he’s made a lot of enemies,” the lobbyist said. There are others who dislike him for both personal and political grounds.
His Adversaries Grow More Confident
Image credit- US Today
On Tuesday, it became apparent that strategy was fruitless. Mr. McCarthy failed to receive the necessary 218 votes in three consecutive votes. Republicans currently command 222 seats, but a group of 19 hard-right Republicans have united to oppose him.
They disagree with Mr. McCarthy on intellectual and personal grounds, but they also see a chance to take advantage of the Republican Party’s slim majority to compel him to make further compromises.
In the third round of voting, even though Mr. Jordan, a prominent member of the hard-right Freedom Caucus, asked Republicans to “unite around” Mr. McCarthy, 20 Republicans still voted for Mr. Jordan, denying Mr. McCarthy the victory.
In the meantime, Democrats stuck together behind their party’s new leader, New York Representative Hakeem Jeffries.
What Choices Does McCarthy Currently Have?
Theoretical speculation about how this could all turn out has started among political analysts in Washington. Their forecasts to the BBC ranged from the realistic (Mr. McCarthy fights through and prevails, but leaves the contest very depleted) to the completely improbable (he bows out and backs his second in command, Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana).
One suggestion was almost fantastical (five Republicans decide to vote for Mr Jeffries, a Democrat, and deliver him control of the House).
FAQ’s
1. Who is Kevin McCarthy?
A. He is an American politician
2. What is his height?
A. 1.83 m
3. What is his Nationality?
A. American
4. How old is Kevin McCarthy?
A. 57 years old
5. What happened to Kevin McCarthy?
A. He failed to be the speaker of US house of Representatives.
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