Trump Urges Republicans To Back McCarthy As US House Deadlocked

President Donald Trump Wednesday urged far-right Republicans to stop blocking the Republican nominee for House Speaker.

An attempt by rebels to block McCarthy’s candidacy threw Congress into chaos on Tuesday after the House failed to elect a speaker for the first time in a century.

Rather than celebrate new control of the House, Republicans were embroiled in a protracted public struggle that put McCarthy’s political career in jeopardy.

“It’s now time for all of our great Republican House Members to vote for Kevin, close the deal and take victory,” Trump posted on social media.

“Republicans, do not turn a great triumph into a giant and embarrassing defeat.”

McCarthy needed his 218 votes in the House, but after last year’s midterm elections, Republicans won his narrow majority of 222 to 212.

But he failed to line up party rebels, including several high-profile supporters of former President Trump, and sided with himself in each of the first two rounds enacted in the third round. 19 “against” votes rose to 20. Trump loyalty test
The House adjourned on Tuesday and was expected to hold further elections on Wednesday until someone won a majority – and it’s not out of the question that a new candidate could come to the fore.

One roadblock to McCarthy’s anointment was the perception by some on his party’s right wing that he is insufficiently loyal to Trump, who is running for the White House again after losing to Joe Biden in 2020.

McCarthy, who defied a subpoena from the special House panel probing the 2021 assault by Trump supporters on the Capitol, has already promised the hardliners investigations of Biden’s family and administration, as well as of the FBI and CIA.

But the more he is seen as giving in to the right, the more likely he is to alienate moderates.

His performance was so weak that he lost out to the Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries in each of the opening three ballots — although there remains little doubt a Republican will ultimately claim the speaker’s gavel.

The last time it took more than one round of voting to pick a speaker at the start of a new Congress was a century ago, in 1923. Another historic speaker selection process that began in December 1855 took 133 rounds of voting over two months.

“It’s time to celebrate, you deserve it,” Trump said. “Kevin McCarthy will do a good job, and maybe even a great job — just watch!”

The Speaker wields huge influence in Washington by presiding over House business and is second in line to the presidency, after the vice president.