McCarthy’s Speaker Ambitions Suffer Blow as He Loses Three Votes
- House to reconvene Wednesday to try again to elect a speaker
- Dissident Republicans block McCarthy’s path, demand more power
Kevin McCarthy
Photographer: Sarah Silbiger/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Kevin McCarthy saw his longtime ambition of becoming US House speaker slipping from his grasp after a humiliating showdown with a stubborn conservative minority that laid bare divisions among Republicans and foreshadowed legislative gridlock for the next two years.
The 57-year-old California congressman and his allies worked to re-engage in negotiations overnight with the dissidents after the House abruptly adjourned Tuesday following three rounds of balloting in which McCarthy was unable to gain the majority needed to become speaker.