118th Congress - Day Two of Speaker Election

Background

The opening day of the 118th Congress failed to produce a Speaker of the House after three rounds of voting after 20 Republicans refused to vote for Representative Kevin McCarthy (50th Congressional District of California). Learn more about the First Day of Voting [LINK].

Order of Business

Today at noon the US House of Representatives will continue voting to elect a new Speaker of the House. This is the 15th time over the course of 118 Congresses this has been necessary. The outcome of this election is usually not in doubt, but for the first time in a hundred years, more than one round of voting has been necessary. In 1923, it took 9 rounds of voting and in 1856, it took 133 rounds of voting over a two-month period. Learn more about the times it took multiple rounds of voting to elect a Speaker on the US House website. [LINK]

To win a vote to be Speaker requires a majority of votes. If all 435 members participate in the vote, then 218 votes is needed. Members that vote present will not be counted to determine a majority.



You can watch the voting via the video player below.

118th Congress - House Speaker Election Continues (Day Two Part One) | C-SPAN



118th Congress - House Speaker Election Continues (Day Two Part Two) | C-SPAN





Here are some links about what happened yesterday:

• 118th Congress - House Speaker Election Continues (LIVE VIDEO AT NOON) [Macon Media]

• Kevin McCarthy Falls Short of House Speaker Win in Three Rounds of Voting [WSJ (video and audio)] [WSJ]

• House GOP back in familiar pattern — fury at the Freedom Caucus [Politico]

• House speaker battle: Profanities fly as Republican factions get heated over McCarthy speakership bid [Fox News]

• House Adjourns Without A Speaker After Kevin McCarthy Fails On 3 Straight Votes [Huffington Post]