Rep. Kevin McCarthy lost a tenth straight vote for a new speaker of the House of Representatives on Jan. 5, but the back-room bargaining continues between the California Republican and populist conservative dissidents demanding new leadership.
As occurred on the nine previous counts on Jan. 3 and Jan. 4, Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York received the votes of all 212 members of his party. McCarthy received 200 Republican votes, Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida got 13 GOP ballots.
To become speaker of the House, the winner must receive 218 votes or a majority of the members voting.
And the stalemate continued.
During the seventh balloting, Donalds was seen leaving the chamber with Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Mich.), who is expected to be McCarthy’s Majority Whip. Also during the voting, a senior aide to McCarthy was seen on the floor talking with Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas), one of the dissidents….