House Gridlock Over Speaker Is Now Longest Since Before Civil War

McCarthy will take longer than number of rounds needed in 1923
Most of multiple-ballot speaker bids occurred before Civil War

Kevin McCarthy listens to House members vote during a meeting of the 118th Congress in the House Chamber at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Jan. 5.Photographer: Eric Lee/Bloomberg

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By Mike Dorning

January 5, 2023 at 9:47 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

The Republican impasse over choosing a House speaker has now dragged on longer than balloting for the post in any other US Congress since before the Civil War.

Kevin McCarthy’s failure to win a majority vote a ninth time means the election will stretch beyond the number of ballots it took Republican Frederick Gillett to secure the position in 1923, a contest with eerie parallels to the current conflict.