After four days of deadlock and embarrassing defeats, House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy has been elected as the 53rd speaker of the House. On Monday night, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz entered McCarthy’s office with a list of demands, which McCarthy was able to meet in order to secure the top job.
On Saturday, McCarthy was able to flip 14 of his holdouts and convince the rest to stand down, securing his election on the 15th ballot. In order to do this, he made a series of concessions that weaken the power of his office and expand the clout of far-right members of the House Republican conference.
The decision set in motion a chain of events that left Gaetz and McCarthy locked in open confrontation on the House floor late Friday night. After a moment of pandemonium, McCarthy was able to win the speaker’s gavel on his 15th attempt.
Critics are concerned that the concessions McCarthy made to secure the top job could complicate his job of governing under a wafer-thin majority. However, McCarthy has been able to successfully navigate the situation and become the 53rd speaker of the House.
Key takeaways:
- Kevin McCarthy was elected as the 53rd speaker of the House after four days of deadlock.
- McCarthy was able to secure the top job by making a series of concessions that weaken the power of his office and expand the clout of far-right members of the House Republican conference.
- Critics are concerned that the concessions McCarthy made could complicate his job of governing, however he has been able to successfully navigate the situation.
Be First to Comment