Washington (AFP) Republican favorite Kevin McCarthy was named speaker of the US House of Representatives on Saturday as he finally quelled a raging rebellion among his party’s ranks that paralyzed the lower house of Congress for days. .
McCarthy was always the frontrunner to lead the Republican-led House, but in the small hours of the morning his victory was nearly derailed by a right-wing rebellion in his party that extended the contest to a historic 15 rounds of voting.
The speaker wields enormous influence in Washington by presiding over House business and is second in line to the presidency after the vice president.
McCarthy was hoping to secure the gavel in the 14th round before midnight on Friday, but suffered a crushing defeat amid surprising scenes of Republican infighting as he finished just one vote out of more than 400 votes. Had gone.
As Matt Gaetz voted “present” to deny McCarthy the gavel, the frustrated Republican leader moved to speak face-to-face with the elected lawmaker from Florida.
Goetz pointed the finger at McCarthy, who began to back away as Alabama’s Mike Rogers lunged at Goetz and had to be held back with a restraining hand over his face.
Representative Richard Hudson, RN.C., pulls back Representative Mike Rogers, R-Ala., during the 14th round of voting for speaker. The House meets for the fourth day to elect the speaker and convene the 118th Congress on Friday, January 6, 2023, in Washington. On the right is Rep. Patrick McHenry, R.N.C. Huh. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnick)
Republicans, who have a razor-thin majority, were mired in internecine warfare as McCarthy failed to win a majority on several ballots, with about 20 conservative hardliners blocking his way since Tuesday.
But the 57-year-old Californian was able to pick up more than a dozen votes among defectors in two afternoon voting rounds on Friday after offering major concessions.
Excited, McCarthy predicted he would win in the 14th round – but faced humiliation due to wall-to-wall coverage on American news channels before finally securing his victory in the 15th.
McCarthy told reporters, “Just reminds me of what my father always told me.” “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. And now we have to finish for the American public.
The fractious 2023 contest had more rounds of voting than any speaker’s election since the Civil War.
McCarthy projected confidence all week, even though he was bleeding votes instead of adding to his base of about 200 Republicans who supported him.
His party’s takeover of Congress is expected to spell the end of cross-party cooperation, a stalemate in the legislative process and promises an aggressive agenda of scrutiny into most aspects of Republican President Joe Biden’s administration and his family.
Democrats and some of McCarthy’s own supporters, in private, are concerned that he is offering his far-right critics radical policy commitments that would make the House invincible.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., talks to Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., after Gaetz voted “present” in the House chamber as the House meets for a fourth day to elect the speaker and convene the 118th Congress . Washington, Friday, January 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
There were reports, which AFP has not verified, that he has agreed to a proposal to keep spending at 2022 levels, including a cap on military funding, which would have the same effect as the $75 billion cut.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and a tightening of the Chinese stance on Taiwan have raised alarm among defense hawks stressing the United States.
No lawmaker, no matter how senior, has the authority to set the budget, but the fact that the suggestion was being taken seriously underscores Republicans’ turn to isolationism under Donald Trump .
Other elected MPs were complaining that McCarthy was handing over hardline berry committee positions and making changes to the rules that would severely reduce the speaker’s role.
The renegade Republicans are believed to have flipped their votes in exchange for the rule change, which made it possible to oust the speaker in a vote called by only one member.
They are also demanding a greater role in deciding which bills it introduces and how they are handled.
The length and uncertainty of the speaker selection process highlighted how difficult it was for McCarthy to corral votes in the 118th Congress.
Democrats said the role would be a poisoned cup, as the compromise McCarthy made would leave him as the weakest speaker in modern history.
Congressman Jamie Raskin of Maryland told MSNBC, “He has moved steadily to the right and he has surrendered at every turn to these extremist elements in the GOP.”
