Voting in the US House of Representatives: McCarthy’s next embarrassment

In the struggle for the presidency of the US House of Representatives, the Republican had been able to change the minds of several internal party critics. In the evening there was the 14th vote: And in the end it wasn’t enough again.

Republican Kevin McCarthy has not been elected chairman of the US House of Representatives for the 14th time. In the vote late in the evening (local time), he ultimately missed one vote.

The tensions in his party erupted in chaotic scenes in the Congress Chamber. Before the election round, McCarthy had expressed confidence. With extensive concessions, he managed to win over several critics within the party after days of a power struggle. Another round of voting began shortly before midnight.

Historical shame continues

The 14 lost votes are a historic embarrassment for McCarthy. It was the first time in 100 years that the majority party’s nominee for the presidency of the House of Representatives was not elected on the first try. And since the American Civil War, no one has had to go through as many ballots as McCarthy does now.

Compared to the longest struggle in history for the presidency of the Chamber of Congress, however, it fares relatively well: It began in late 1855 and lasted for months. 133 ballots were necessary at that time – in a time of debates about slavery in the run-up to the American Civil War (1861 to 1865).