House continues to vote for 15th time

WASHINGTON — Friday marked the fourth day since the start of the 118th Congress and what is expected to be the fourth day of voting in the U.S. House of Representatives to determine who will lead the chamber.

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The House remains at a standstill after failing in 13 votes to elect a speaker as required by the Constitution. Other work in the chamber — including the swearing in of lawmakers — cannot begin until after a leader is picked.

McCarthy, Jeffries nominated for 15th House speaker vote

Update 11:48 p.m. EST Jan. 6: Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. have both been nominated for Speaker of the House Friday night just before midnight.

14th vote: McCarthy fails to win speakership

Update 11:18 p.m. EST Jan. 6: Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. lost another chance at the speakership after a 14th vote being just one vote away.

McCarthy received 216 votes. Jeffries received 212 votes.

The speaker vote appeared to come down to Rep. Matt Gaetz. According to CNN, Gaetz left the chamber when his name was called the first time. He is one of the six remaining GOP holdouts following 13 rounds of voting.

McCarthy, Jeffries nominated for 14th House speaker vote

Update 10:23 p.m. EST Jan. 6: Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. have both been nominated for Speaker of the House Friday night just after 10 p.m. EST.

- Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

House adjourns until 10 p.m. on 4th day of voting for speakership

Update 3:45 p.m. EST Jan. 6: The House on Friday voted 220-212 to adjourn until 10 p.m. as the Republicans continue working toward a deal to elect Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California as the chamber’s speaker.

McCarthy, who has led GOP representatives in the House since 2019, has faced opposition to his election from a group of 20 Republicans, though he managed to flip more than a dozen of them on Friday. Still, he was unable to overcome the opposition in two votes held Friday.

It was not immediately clear whether the House would hold a 14th vote to choose the speaker after reconvening on Friday.

13th vote: McCarthy gains 1 more vote, not enough to claim gavel

Update 3 p.m. EST Jan. 6: Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., got one more vote Friday in the second vote of the day aimed at determining who will serve as the next House speaker, though he still fell short of the number needed to take the role.

The California Republican won 214 votes while Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., got 212 votes and other candidates got six votes.

McCarthy needed 217 votes to win the election for speaker.

McCarthy, Jeffries nominated for 13th House speaker vote

Update 2:15 p.m. EST Jan. 6: Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., on Friday nominated Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., for the 13th roll call vote to determine who will become the next House speaker.

He faces Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., for the 13th time after the Democratic leader was nominated by Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas.

12th vote: McCarthy gains support, fails to win speakership

Update 1:25 p.m. EST Jan. 6: Rep. Kevin McCarthy won 213 votes in Friday’s first ballot to determine who will serve as the next House speaker, though he still fell short of the number needed to claim the speaker’s chair.

He gained 13 votes more than the 200 he garnered in three votes held Thursday. He needed a majority of the total votes cast, or 217 votes, to win the speakership .

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., won 211 votes, while Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Okla, earned four and Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., got three votes.

McCarthy, Jeffries, Jordan nominated for 12th speaker ballot

Update 12:35 p.m. EST Jan. 6: Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who has led Republicans in the House since 2019, was nominated for a 12th time on Friday to serve as the chamber’s speaker after failing to garner enough support to take the gavel in 11 previous votes.

Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Calif., nominated McCarthy after the House convened Friday.

Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., nominated Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to serve as House speaker. Jeffries has gotten the top number of votes in all previous votes for the slot, as Democrats threw their unanimous support behind him.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., has declined repeatedly to support McCarthy’s bid for the speakership. On Friday, he nominated Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, to take the speaker’s chair.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., has also declined to support McCarthy. She nominated Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., for House speaker.

House convenes on 4th day without speaker

Update 12 p.m. EST Jan. 6: The House met at noon Friday for the fourth day following the opening of the 118th Congress. The group is expected to be vote for a 12th time on who will lead the chamber, which is narrowly controlled by Republicans.

House expected to hold 12th vote for speaker

Update 9 a.m. EST Jan. 6: The House is expected to vote for a 12th time Friday in hopes of deciding who will take the speaker’s chair after 11 votes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday failed to settle the issue.

The House will meet beginning at 12 p.m.

House adjourns after 3rd day of voting for speaker

Update 8:12 p.m. EST Jan. 5: A vote to adjourn voting for House speaker was approved by a 219-213 margin on Thursday. The vote was after the 11th ballot. The 12th attempt to elect a speaker will begin at noon EST on Friday.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

11th vote: McCarthy still short of votes needed to become speaker

Update 7:50 p.m. EST Jan. 5: A fifth ballot on Thursday and 11th overall since the 118th Congress went into session two days ago failed again to elect a House speaker.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy failed to secure enough votes to become House speaker. The California Republican once again received 200 votes, still more than a dozen short required to win the speaker’s chair. Democrats remained united, casting 212 votes for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who was not nominated in the 11th round of balloting, received 12 votes. Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., received seven votes for the second straight roll call. Former President Donald Trump received one vote, from Florida Republican Matt Gaetz.

Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., again voted “present.” Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., did not vote for the third straight ballot.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Gaetz again votes for Trump to take speaker’s chair

Update 6:37 p.m. EST Jan. 5: Florida Republican Matt Gaetz nominated former President Donald Trump to become House speaker. Gaetz also voted for Trump during the seventh and eighth ballots on Thursday.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

10th vote: McCarthy fails to win enough votes to become speaker

Update 5:59 p.m. EST Jan. 5: A fourth ballot on Thursday and 10th overall since the 118th Congress gaveled into session again did not elect a House speaker.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy failed to secure enough votes to become House speaker. The California Republican received 200 votes, still more than a dozen short of the number he needed to win the speaker’s gavel. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. won 212 votes, while Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. received 13 votes, losing four from the ninth vote. Those were picked up by Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., who now has seven votes.

Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., again voted “present.” Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., did not vote for the second straight ballot.

The 10th ballot topped 1923′s election, in which Republican Frederick H. Gillett of Massachusetts was re-elected speaker on nine ballots, according to House archives.

It has been 164 years since balloting for speaker has gone into double digits.

It took 44 ballots for William Pennington, a Republican from New Jersey, to win the speaker’s gavel in 1859.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Luna nominates Donalds, Boebert nominates Hern for 10th speakership vote

Update 5:05 p.m. EST Jan. 5. Florida Republican Anna Luna nominated Byron Donalds, R-Fla. and Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert nominated Kevin Hern, R-Okla.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Aguilar nominates Jeffries for 10th speakership vote

Update 4:59 p.m. EST Jan. 5: California Democrat Pete Aguilar nominated Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., for speaker.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Ciscomani nominates McCarthy for 10th speakership vote

Update 4:53 p.m. EST Jan. 5: Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., nominated Kevin McCarthy for speaker as the House prepared to take a 10th vote.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

9th vote: McCarthy unable to garner enough support to win speakership

Update 4:31 p.m. EST Jan. 5: For a third time on Thursday and ninth overall since the 118th Congress gaveled into session, Rep. Kevin McCarthy failed to secure enough votes to become House speaker.

The California Republican received 200 votes, more than a dozen short of the number he needed to win the speaker’s gavel. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. won 212 votes, while Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. received 17 votes again. Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., received three votes.

Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., voted “present.” Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., did not vote.

The ninth ballot was the most for a speaker’s election since Republican Frederick H. Gillett of Massachusetts was re-elected speaker on nine ballots in 1923, according to House archives.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

McCarthy, Jeffries, Donalds and Hern on 9th ballot for House speakership

Update 3:50 p.m. EST Jan. 5: For a third time on Thursday, lawmakers nominated Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.; Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Byron Donalds, R-Fla.; to serve as speaker of the House.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., also nominated Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., to take the gavel.

The vote Thursday afternoon is the ninth attempted to determine who will lead the House since the opening of the 118th Congress on Tuesday.

8th vote: McCarthy short of votes needed to become speaker

Update 3 p.m. EST Jan. 5: For a second time on Thursday, Rep. Kevin McCarthy failed to secure enough votes to become House speaker.

The California Republican got 201 votes, more than a dozen short of the number required to win the gavel. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. won 212 votes, while Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. got 17 votes. Three legislators voted for other candidates, including Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert, who voted for Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla.

One person voted “present.”

The vote marked the eighth attempt to choose a leader for the House. A ninth vote is possible Thursday.

8th vote begins to choose House speaker

Update 2:05 p.m. EST Jan. 5: Rep. Kevin McCarthy has been nominated again to serve as House speaker ahead of an eighth vote to determine who will pick up the gavel.

Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., nominated McCarthy, while Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., nominated Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., put up Rep. Byron Donalds’ name for the post.

7th vote: McCarthy fails to win enough votes to secure speakership; Gaetz votes for Trump

Update 1:25 p.m. EST Jan. 5: Kevin McCarthy failed to gain enough votes to claim the House speakership during the chamber’s seventh election for the gavel on Thursday.

McCarthy got 201 votes to 212 for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and 19 for Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. One lawmaker voted “present,” while Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., voted for former President Donald Trump.

McCarthy, Jeffries, Donalds nominated for 7th speaker vote

Update 12:35 p.m. EST Jan. 5: The House has begun a seventh vote to determine who will serve as the next speaker of the House.

Rep. John James, R-Mich., nominated Rep. Kevin McCarthy to take the gavel. McCarthy has faced opposition to his nomination from members of the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus.

Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., nominated Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to the speakership, while Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., nominated Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. for the role.

The three were also nominated three times on Wednesday with the vote tally coming out to 201 for McCarthy, 212 for Jeffries, 20 for Donalds, and one “present” vote each time.

House to reconvene for 3rd day of voting in speaker election

Update 8:50 a.m. EST Jan. 5: The House is scheduled to reconvene at noon on Thursday and continue for a third day to attempt to elect a speaker to lead the chamber.

The meeting comes after Kevin McCarthy failed six times on Tuesday and Wednesday to win enough votes to take the speakership position. The California Republican, who has led the GOP in the House since 2019, has faced opposition to his leadership bid from members of the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus.

“I’m ready to vote all night, all week, all month, and never for that person,” Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., told reporters Wednesday night, as McCarthy continued trying to secure enough votes to take the speakership.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden told said it was “embarrassing for the country” to not yet have a functioning Congress. Earlier, he said the ongoing conflict in the House was “not a good look.”

In a social media post, former President Donald Trump said the failure to choose a speaker was “actually ... a big Republican VICTORY” because it “has made the position & process of getting to be Speaker BIGGER & MORE IMPORTANT than if it were done in the more traditional way.”

Tuesday marked the first time in 100 years that the House failed to elect a speaker on its first ballot. The chamber must choose a leader before it can begin other work, including swearing in representatives to begin legislating.

House adjourns for 2nd day, still unable to elect speaker

Update 8:27 p.m. EST Jan. 4: The House reconvened at 8 p.m. EST but then held a vote to adjourn until noon on Thursday. The measure carried by a 216-214 vote.

The vote came after a sixth failed attempt earlier Wednesday afternoon to determine who will serve as the next speaker of the House.

Kevin McCarthy, who is attempting to become the next speaker, told reporters before Wednesday evening’s session that he did not want another vote, CNN reported. Twenty Republicans voted against McCarthy in all three votes on Wednesday, denying him the gavel.

— Bob D’Angelo, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

House breaks until night amid ongoing fight for the speakership

Update 4:40 p.m. EST Jan. 4: The House adjourned Wednesday afternoon after a sixth failed attempt to determine who will serve as the next speaker of the chamber, according to CNN.

The House is expected to reconvene at 8 p.m., the news network reported.

The chamber is unable to conduct other business — including swearing in legislators — until after a speaker is chosen.

6th vote: McCarthy unable to secure votes to take speakership

Update 4:25 p.m. EST Jan. 4: The vote to determine who will take the lead in the House ended with the same result as before, with Rep. Kevin McCarthy unable to gain the votes needed to secure the position.

The vote, which was the sixth held since Tuesday, ended with 201 representatives favoring the California Republican. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries,

D-N.Y., got 212 votes and Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., got 20. One representative voted “present.”

House begins 6th vote for House speaker

Update 3:45 p.m. EST Jan. 4: Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., nominated Rep. Kevin McCarthy to serve as House speaker in the sixth ballot to elect a leader.

Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., nominated Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to the speakership for a third time, while Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., nominated Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.

House fails to elect speaker in 5th vote

Update 2:45 p.m. EST Jan. 4: Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., failed a fifth time to secure the votes needed to claim the House speakership role.

Results were identical to those from an earlier vote. McCarthy garnered 201 votes while Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., got 212 and Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., got 20. One representative voted “present.”

McCarthy, Jeffries, Donalds elected for 5th House speaker ballot

Update 2 p.m. EST Jan. 4: Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, on Wednesday nominated Rep. Kevin McCarthy to serve as House speaker on the fifth ballot to elect a leader of the chamber.

It remained unclear whether the California Republican had enough votes to secure the position.

Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., nominated Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., to serve in the role. Jeffries was last year elected to lead Democrats in the House following Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s decision in November to step down from leadership.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., nominated Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., for House speaker. Earlier Wednesday, he gained 20 votes in the fourth vote aimed at electing someone to the speakership.

McCarthy loses 4th bid for speakership

Update 1:20 p.m. EST Jan. 4: Rep. Kevin McCarthy lost a fourth vote for the House speakership after garnering 201 votes Wednesday afternoon, more than a dozen shy of the number needed to give him the top spot in the chamber.

McCarthy, R-Calif., was nominated for House speaker by Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis. He faced Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. Jeffries won 212 votes while Donalds won 20.

One representative, Indiana Republican Victoria Spartz, voted “present.”

Biden: GOP’s failure to unite behind speaker candidate ‘not a good look’

Update 10:45 a.m. EST Jan. 4: President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the failure of House Republicans to unite behind a candidate for the speakership was “not a good look.”

“For the first time in 100 years, you can’t move,” the president told reporters before traveling to Covington, Kentucky, to talk about his economic plan. “I hope they get their act together.”

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who had led Republicans in the House since 2019, failed three times Tuesday to gain enough votes to win the speakership. Assuming all legislators submit a vote Wednesday, the California Republican will need 218 to take the helm in the chamber.

“I think we’ll get to 218,” McCarthy told reporters as he entered the Capitol on Wednesday, according to CNN. “We’re talking.”

Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday morning urged Republicans to back McCarthy, writing in a social media post that GOP House members needed to “CLOSE THE DEAL.”

“Kevin McCarthy will do a good job, and maybe even a GREAT JOB - JUST WATCH!” he wrote.

The House is due to meet again at noon.

House adjourns after 3 votes to choose speaker

Update 5:38 p.m. EST Jan. 3: The House voted to adjourn for the day Tuesday evening after a third vote did not find a winner, according to The New York Times.

The House is expected to reconvene at noon on Wednesday, according to the NYT.

The final vote for the third vote was 212 votes for Democratic Rep. Hakeen Jeffries, 202 votes for Rep. McCarthy, and 20 votes for GOP Rep. Jim Jordan, according to CNN.

- Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

McCarthy fails to win House speakership in 3rd vote

Update 5:07 p.m. EST Jan. 3: The third vote for House Speaker has concluded, according to the New York Times. Rep. Kevin McCarthy lost one supporter in the third vote. In order to win, 218 votes are needed.

The House hasn’t failed to elect a speaker on the first vote since 1923 - 100 years. A fourth vote is anticipated, according to the NYT.

- Jessica Goodman, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Original report: The 118th Senate was sworn in with Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., continuing as majority leader. On the Senate floor, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., celebrated becoming the longest-serving party leader in the chamber, CNN reported. He has led Republicans in the Senate since 2007.

“The greatest honor of my career is representing the Commonwealth of Kentucky in this chamber and fighting for my fellow Kentuckians,” McConnell said Tuesday, according to CNN. “But the second-greatest honor is the trust that my fellow Republican senators have placed in me to lead our diverse conference and help them achieve their goals.”

The House did not immediately swear in representatives on Tuesday as the debate continued over who would lead the chamber. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who has served as the top Republican in the House since 2019, faced pushback to his nomination as Hosue speaker from hard-right lawmakers who declined to throw support behind the California lawmaker, according to The New York Times.

McCarthy needs 218 votes to secure the top spot in the House.

Democrats nominated Rep. Hakeem Jeffries — the New York Democrat previously elected as leader of the party in the House — to serve as speaker.

The 118th Congress will include 222 Republicans and 212 Democrats — 74 of which are freshmen members, according to C-SPAN.

With 149 women — two more than were part of the outgoing Congress — the group includes a record-setting number of women lawmakers, according to CNN. It will also include 97 veterans representing 36 states, amounting to the most military representation since 2015, Military Times reported.

The freshman class is the youngest in recent history, with 18 new members who are in their 20s or 30s, according to The Washington Post. The newspaper reported it also includes a record number of new Latino members.

The first Gen Z lawmaker elected to Congress was also set to be sworn in Tuesday, WFTV reported. Maxwell Frost, 25, was elected in November to represent Florida’s 10th congressional district, which includes parts of Orange County, in the House.

The House and Senate convened on Tuesday, although the Senate will follow the meeting with a break until Jan. 23, according to USA Today. The House is scheduled to meet on Wednesday.

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