House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy sits at the center of the House floor as a 9th round of voting begins
(Picture: REUTERS)Republican Kevin McCarthy has failed to get elected as US House speaker for a historic 11th time after being derailed by right-wing Republicans.
Mr McCarthy lost seventh, eight, ninth, tenth and eleventh rounds of voting in the stalemate in electing the Speaker on Thursday. This surpassed the number of rounds of voting from the last long fight to elect a speaker 100 years ago.
However, signs of a deal with holdouts from the conservative Freedom Caucus which could see Mr McCarthy become speaker have started to take shape.
These include key rule changes to shrink the power of the speaker’s office and give rank-and-file politicians more influence in drafting legislation.
Republicans voted on Thursday night to adjourn and return on Friday to try again, sparking protests from opposition Democrats.
The California Republican brushed off any concerns, saying: “Apparently, I like to make history."
Among the changes sought by right-wing Republicans is the reinstatement of a House rule that would allow a single politician to make a motion to “vacate the chair", essentially calling a vote to oust the speaker.
Mr McCarthy had resisted allowing the move because it had been held over the head of past Republican Speaker John Boehner, chasing him to early retirement.
Even if Mr McCarthy is able to secure the votes he needs, he faces the prospect of being a weakened speaker.
Other wins for the holdouts include provisions in the proposed deal to expand the number of seats available on the House Rules Committee and to promise to try for a constitutional amendment that would impose federal limits on the number of terms a person could serve in the House and Senate.
The chairman of the chamber’s Freedom Caucus, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, appeared receptive, tweeting a Ronald Reagan quote: “Trust but verify".
With Mr McCarthy’s supporters and foes locked in stalemate, the House cannot fully open for the new session.
McCarthy’s battle for the speakership is the first time since 1923 a nominee had not won the gavel on the first vote.
The longest fight for the speakership started in late 1855 and dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War.
