House speaker vote: McCarthy thanks Trump for final votes as fight nearly breaks out on floor
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Kevin McCarthy was finally elected speaker of the House of Representatives after 15 rounds of voting, clinching the gavel just after midnight on Saturday.
The longest contest for speaker of the House of Representatives in more than a century finally came to an end as six remaining Republican holdouts opted to vote “present”, giving Mr McCarthy a majority over Democrat Hakeem Jeffries.
Earlier, Republican House member Mike Rogers had to be physically restrained after lunging at Matt Gaetz amid chaotic scenes in the House.
Congressman Richard Hudson grabbed Mr Rogers by his face and physically pulled him away.
In his first speech as speaker, Mr McCarthy thanked former president Donald Trump for “helping get those final votes”.
Mr McCarthy’s bid had been delayed by a group of far-right Republicans including the likes of Lauren Boebert and Mr Gaetz.
However, on Friday he made significant progress in the 12th ballot, managing to flip a total of 14 representatives-elect in his favour after lengthy negotiations.
McCarthy gets standing ovation inside conference meeting
McCarthy: 'I’m not going to go away’
Speaking in the closed Republican conference meeting, Kevin McCarthy says: “I’m not going to go away. I’m going to stand until the last four friends stand with me.”
Rep Crenshaw calls hardliners ‘enemies’ and ‘narcissists'
Texas Rep Dan Crenshaw is not mincing his words when it comes to the bloc of hardliners seeking Kevin McCarthy’s ouster, calling them “enemies” and “narcissists.”
“They are enemies now. They have made it clear that they prefer a Democrat agenda than a Republican,” he told CNN’s Manu Raju.
In earlier comments, Mr Crenshaw said: “It’s a shame. It makes us look foolish. If I didn’t know any better, it’s like the Democrats paid these people off... Let’s make it look like the Republicans can’t govern and don’t deserve any gavels whatsoever. That’s what it makes it look like.”
Watch: Crenshaw tells ‘Fox & Friends’ holdouts make party look ‘foolish'
McCarthy: ‘I earned this job'
Kevin McCarthy tells the conference meeting: “I earned this job. We earned this majority, and God dammit we are going to win it today.”
Fiery speech by McCarthy but dissent remains
Kevin McCarthy gave a fiery speech to the Republican conference earning three standing ovations according to reports from inside the closed-door meeting.
Not everyone was impressed, with Rep Lauren Boebert loudly saying: “Bullshit”.
Mr McCarthy also sparred with Rep Chip Roy and acknowledged as many as 20 representatives are against him, and not five as previously believed.
McCarthy taking opponents ‘to the woodshed'
A source tells CNN’s Lauren Fox that Kevin McCarthy is taking the group of detractors “to the woodshed like I’ve never seen”.
Anti-McCarthy group will lose committee assignements
Rep Mike Rogers told the committee that those who vote against Kevin McCarthy will lose their committee assignments.
Marjorie Taylor Greene calls Freedom Caucus ‘destructionists'
Georgia Rep Marjorie Taylor Greene tells reporters: “If my friends in the Freedom Caucus, Matt Gaetz and others ... they’re proving to the country that they don’t care about doing the right thing for America ... they’re just destructionists. That’s why Republicans fail, and I’m really tired of it.”
‘Nothing’s changed’ says anti-McCarthy congressman
Virginia Rep Bob Good says this morning’s meeting changed nothing and those against Kevin McCarthy will remain as such and that he did not win anyone over.
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