The Latest Breaking News from Scott Perry

WASHINGTON — A conservative Republican at the center of the tortured effort to elect House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says he’d welcome a hard-fought battle over the U.S. debt ceiling, but said both parties should start negotiating terms for the increase now so it doesn’t go down to the wire.

WASHINGTON — A conservative Republican at the center of the tortured effort to elect House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says he’d welcome a hard-fought battle over the U.S. debt ceiling, but said both parties should start negotiating terms for the increase now so it doesn’t go down to the wire.

WASHINGTON — Kevin McCarthy began expanding his support as the 12th speaker vote got underway, gaining some key votes including Freedom Caucus Chair Scott Perry and influential conservative Chip Roy.

Kevin McCarthy was three votes shy of securing the speaker’s gavel on Friday afternoon after flipping 14 of 20 Republicans.

The anniversary serves as a reminder of how little progress has been made toward unity in the last two years.

The House of Representatives has yet to pick a speaker over the span of three days and 11-straight voting sessions

Pressure was building as McCarthy lost seventh, eighth and then historic ninth and 10th rounds of voting, surpassing the number it took the last time this happened, 100 years ago, in a prolonged fight to choose a speaker.

Republican leader Kevin McCarthy provided a written offer Thursday to his GOP opponents on rules changes and other demands.

The impasse over choosing a House speaker continued as Republican fell short of votes held up by his detractors