Leader of slim Republican majority has been negotiating to secure backing of hardliners but voting could go to multiple rounds
All signs point to a battle royale on the House side of Capitol Hill today – and perhaps beyond – as California Republican Kevin McCarthy battles to secure enough votes to be named House Speaker, while facing fierce opposition from the right-wing of his caucus.
He has long aspired to become Speaker of the House, failing in an attempt in 2015 and now hoping he will succeed and take the gavel from his fellow Californian from the other side of the aisle – outgoing Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy hopes to be voted in as House speaker today, succeeding Democrat Nancy Pelosi as the GOP takes control of the lower chamber of Congress after the party’s notable win amid a below-par mid-term election performance in November.
Trouble ahead, though. McCarthy arrives on Capitol Hill today with all signs pointing to his not having the votes he needs in the bag to be named speaker – at least on the first round of voting – setting up the biggest battle for the gavel in 100 years.
The House will commence business at 12pm today and the very first order of business, before new members are sworn in, even, is to elect the speaker of the House. McCarthy plans to huddle in the bowels of the Capitol this morning, hoping to negotiate enough support to win a majority on the first round of voting – but it’s not looking good. We have the prospect of multiple rounds of voting, stay tuned to see what happens.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will hold the first media briefing of the year, with that gathering in the West Wing scheduled for 2.30pm (though we know from experience that that timing can slip … and slip …
The US Senate also convenes today and it’s all calm in the upper chamber, as the Democrats retained control in the midterm elections and Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell resumes his role as minority leader with a celebration as he becomes the longest-serving political party leader in senate history.
Joe Biden has no public events today but the US president is traveling to Kentucky tomorrow to celebrate new infrastructure spending – with McConnell in tow as a display of bipartisanship.