During the 12th ballot for House speakership, four previously defecting Republicans threw support behind Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Republicans who previously opposed McCarthy included North Carolina representative Dan Bishop; Georgia representative Andrew Clyde; Louisiana representative Michael Cloud; Oklahoma representative Josh Brecheen; Arizona representative Paul Gosar; Florida representative-elect Anna Paulina Luna; Ohio representative Carol Miller; South Carolina representative Ralph Norman; Tennessee representative Andy Ogles; California representative Scott Perry; Texas representative Chip Roy; Pennsylvania representative Keith Self; Indiana representative Victoria Spartz; and Florida representative Byron Donalds.
Donalds was nominated as opposition to McCarthy serveral ballots prior receiving support from 20 Republicans. Spartz originally voted McCarthy, though switched her vote to present.
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Republicans steadfast in opposing the Republican Leader include Florida representative Matt Gaetz; Arizona representatives Andy Biggs and Eli Crane; Colorado representative Lauren Boebert; Virginia representative Bob Good; Maryland representative Andy Harris; and Montana representative Matt Rosendale.
Although McCarthy gained 14 votes, he lost his 12th ballot for speaker by failing to avoid a five vote threshold.
Other nominated candidates included Ohio representative Jim Jordan, who secured four votes, and Missouri representative Kevin Hern, who received three votes.
McCarthy receieved 213 total votes compared to Democratic speaker candidate New York representative Hakeem Jeffries, who received 211.
It is unclear if the Republican Leader struck a deal with the previously defecting representatives as multiple outlets suggest.
Gaetz, who has been one of the most vocal opponents of McCarthy, nominated former President Donald Trump for Speaker of the House on Thursday.
On Tuesday, the Florida representative sent a letter to the Capitol Architect J. Brett Blanton alleging McCarthy was occupying the House Speaker’s office. He suggested the Republican Leader was “occupying” and “squatting” in the office after losing three Speaker votes.
“I write to inform you that the Speaker of the House Office located in the U.S. Capitol Building is currently occupied by Rep. Kevin McCarthy. As of this morning, the 117th Congress adjourned sine die, and a Speaker from the 118th Congress has not been elected,” Gaetz wrote to Blanton. “After three undeciding votes, no member can lay claim to this office.”
A 13th ballot is presumably scheduled for Friday afternoon.
