House adjourns after Kevin McCarthy loses 11th vote for speaker
The House of Representatives adjourned Thursday evening, ending another day without electing a speaker.
Over the course of three days, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has lost 11 rounds of voting in his quest to become speaker of the House. With the Republicans having a slim majority in the House and Democrats unified behind their nominee, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), McCarthy cannot afford to lose many Republican votes. Yet round after round, a group of 20 ultra-conservative lawmakers has been blocking him, despite concessions he has agreed to make, like allowing floor votes on instituting member term limits.
Several McCarthy allies still expressed optimism on Thursday night that a final deal between the two camps would soon be reached. "We are making progress," Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) told reporters. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.) didn't give a definitive date for when it might happen, saying, "If it takes until tomorrow, it takes until tomorrow. If it takes until Fourth of July, it takes until Fourth of July. Either way, Kevin McCarthy will be the speaker."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Fresh off of his 11th defeat, McCarthy stopped to talk to reporters, and said he remains confident that he'll be elected, some day. "I'm not putting any timeline on it — I just think we've got some progress going on," he said. "We got members talking. I think we've got a little movement and we'll see." One of his most vocal opponents, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), also spoke about the emerging deal, announcing he won't support it because "it results in Kevin McCarthy becoming the speaker." The 12th round of voting starts Friday afternoon.
-
Crossword: December 30, 2025The daily crossword from The Week
-
What have Trump’s Mar-a-Lago summits achieved?Today’s big question Zelenskyy and Netanyahu meet the president in his Palm Beach ‘Winter White House’
-
The most anticipated movies of 2026The Week Recommends If the trailers are anything to go by, film buffs are in for a treat
-
Will the new year bring a new shutdown?Today’s Big Question A January deadline could bring the pain all over again
-
The MAGA civil war takes center stage at the Turning Point USA conferenceIN THE SPOTLIGHT ‘Americafest 2025’ was a who’s who of right-wing heavyweights eager to settle scores and lay claim to the future of MAGA
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Is Trump deliberately redacting Epstein files to shield himself?Today’s Big Question Removal of image from publicly released documents prompts accusations of political interference by justice department
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
