Kevin McCarthy’s failed House speakership bid, explained

For the first time in a century, on Tuesday the House of Representatives failed to elect a speaker in the first ballot. Despite winning the majority, Republican Kevin McCarthy only collected 203 votes, leaving him with 15 short of an absolute majority needed to win.

California Republicans faced a backlash from hard-right members at the conference who made a series of interlocking demands that mixed the political, the procedural, and the personal. While the Democrats united and elected their leader, Hakeem Jeffries, the Republican dissidents split their votes. Ten voted for Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), who ran as a stalking horse opponent against McCarthy on the internal ballot of the GOP conference in November. Nine scattered votes for candidates like Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL).

The rebels are members of the House Freedom Caucus, many of whom are loyal supporters of Donald Trump and supporters of uncompromising conservative politics. While some have roots in the Tea Party brand of conservatism like Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), many of the MAGA bombshells who have become famous in politics, like Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO). However, not all of the three dozen or so members of the House Freedom Caucus were opposed to McCarthy. Some, like Reps. Majorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Jordan, have been vocal supporters.

What do McCarthy’s opponents want?

The short answer is less power for McCarthy and more power for the right wing of the House Republican Conference. Part of that demand includes efforts to decriminalize the speaker’s office in general and enable House members-and-file — and, in particular, GOP rank-and-file members — to have more influence over legislation. In recent years, speakers from both parties have centralized more authority in their own hands. This means that members have less opportunity to introduce amendments, that the most important legislation is negotiated by leaders in both parties, and is given to vote on some comprehensive bills such as the 2022 social spending bill called by the Democrats called the Inflation Reduction Act.

He also wanted to increase his influence on McCarthy. One major point of contention is a procedural question called a “motion to vacate,” which allows for an up or down vote on whether the speaker’s position should be declared vacant and a new vote held. It was used by Republican rebels in 2015 to force out Speaker John Boehner. At that time, each individual member can force a vote on this question. Boehner was managing a fractious House GOP conference then, albeit with a much larger majority than the current Republicans.

In the Democratic House, the House rules were changed so that only party leaders could offer motions. McCarthy’s critics want to reverse this precedent. With Republicans holding a nominal majority of five in the House, the move to vacate the threat functions as a sword hanging over any speaker. This means that only a handful of Republicans have the leverage to oust McCarthy from the speakership at any given time. Needless to say, McCarthy is dead set against this. However, a new bid to win over critics is to lower the threshold to five for a motion to vacate. In other words, five members must jointly offer a motion to force a vote.

But more than that, he also wants to shape the GOP agenda with right-wing members on influential committees and ensure votes on priorities like term limits, a balanced budget, and border security. From his perspective, past Republican Congresses have failed to hold Democrats accountable. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) told reporters before the vote, “Our position is that Kevin McCarthy is the Speaker of the House, and we don’t have the ability to make sure that there is oomph behind the agenda and energy behind our oversight, [then not much else matters].” Gaetz continued, “I’m not here to participate in a puppet show where we send a messaging bill, send it to the Senate, watch it die, fail to use leverage, and hold the Biden administration accountable.”

What does anyone else think?

Most rank and file Republicans are not happy. Speaking to reporters before Tuesday’s vote, Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) said of McCarthy’s critics, “[I]It’s all about controlling the committee and trying to put people in positions where they can make more money. This has nothing to do with improving our country. He described those willing to vote against Republican leaders as “radical 2 percenters.” Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) expressed frustration that this could delay Republicans from starting to try to pass the agenda as well. “You really have to rush out of the gate in the first quarter to have an effect … so there’s no time to waste now.”

What is happening now?

Speaking to reporters before voting, McCarthy said, “I have the record for the longest speech on the floor. I don’t mind getting the record for the most.” [held in a speaker election].” The record is 133 rounds of voting, which took place over two months in 1856 to elect a new speaker. Now, with so many votes for others to swing, it looks like McCarthy has a chance to extend that distinction as well.