“If you want to drain the swamp, you cannot put the biggest alligator in charge of the exercise,” Gaetz said. “I’m a Florida man, and I know of what I speak.”
After three rounds of voting Tuesday, McCarthy failed to claim the gavel, and House lawmakers will return at noon Wednesday to hold another vote on who will become the next speaker.
The standoff over McCarthy has been building since Republicans appeared on track to win the House majority in the midterm elections in November. A new generation of Trump-aligned Republicans led the opposition to McCarthy, believing he's neither conservative enough nor tough enough to battle Democrats.
The group said McCarthy had refused the group's last-ditch demand for rules changes in a meeting late Monday at the Capitol. “Today, is that the day I wanted to have? No,” McCarthy told reporters at the Capitol after a series of late-night closed-door meetings. Without a speaker, the House cannot fully form — swearing in its members, naming its committee chairmen, engaging in floor proceedings and launching investigations of the Biden administration.
"The American people are watching, and it's a good thing," said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who nominated fellow conservative Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio as an alternative for speaker. The mood was tense, at least on the Republican side, as lawmakers rose from their seats, in lengthy in-person voting. Democrats were upbeat as they cast their own historic votes for their leader, Jeffries of New York.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Jim Jordan House Speaker push is holding up GOP agenda: Republican rep-electFlorida representative-elect Mike Waltz gives his take on the fight over Rep. Kevin McCarthy's possible House speakership on Tuesday's 'Special Report.
Read more »
White House won't 'insert' itself in House GOP leadership stalemateThe White House appeared happy to let House Republicans' drama unfold as Rep. Kevin McCarthy's (R-CA) speakership hopes seem to dim on Capitol Hill.
Read more »
No Matter Who Leads House GOP, Advocates Say, 'They All Want to Cut Your Social Security''The Republican caucus is in chaos, with their most extreme members in the driver's seat,' said SSWorks. 'Democrats must stand strong and united to protect Social Security from Republican hostage-taking.'
Read more »
Will GOP Voters Ever Wake Up to How Much GOP Lawmakers Screw Them Over?From stagnant wages to soaring costs for rent, medical, and prescription drugs—the so-called 'conservative' voter never seems to figure out what's going on.
Read more »
Will GOP Voters Ever Wake Up to How Much GOP Lawmakers Screw Them Over?When will Republican voters figure out how badly they’re getting screwed by Republican politicians?
Read more »