Breaking Down the Math for McCarthy to Win the Speakership
- For McCarthy, 213 votes could be the new 218 to become speaker
- Quirk of rules could cobble together a majority for McCarthy
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Republican Kevin McCarthy and his allies are getting creative — and desperate — in assembling the coalition he needs to win the speakership in the face of opposition from conservative hardliners.
McCarthy, whose quest to become speaker enters its third day, needs a majority of the House members present and voting to get the job. If all 434 members vote, that means he need to 218 to win. The most votes he’s received in six ballots is 203.