McCarthy scrambles for House speaker votes: New Congress live updates - The Washington Post

Congressional newsman covering the House of Representatives

GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told his league he’s fixed his each up of the important talker vote. In a closed-door session, McCarthy made wide that determination is nary much to negotiate, according to radical successful the room. One idiosyncratic emphasized conscionable however powerfully McCarthy came retired against detractors, scorning them for moving the extremity station again. As helium was wrapping up, a lawmaker shouted “preach it baby!” Members applauded and gave him a lasting ovation. A defiant McCarthy yelled into the microphone, “I’ve earned this job,” and added an expletive.

Of each the unusual things happening connected this legislature swearing-in day, here’s 1 precise existent possibility: Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) could person the astir votes successful the archetypal ballot for speaker, adjacent though his caucus is successful the minority.

Jeffries, the incoming number leader, has a staunchly unified caucus astir him, truthful if each 212 Democrats are steadfast and connected manus for the talker ballot Tuesday, that’s however galore votes helium is expected to receive.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the GOP’s nominee to beryllium speaker, is overseeing a bitterly divided league wherever a twelve to 2 twelve conservatives mightiness ballot against him connected the archetypal ballot. With a caucus of 222, if each are steadfast and connected hand, McCarthy would autumn down Jeffries if much than 10 Republicans ballot for idiosyncratic else, ballot contiguous oregon conscionable garbage to ballot altogether.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus gathered Tuesday for a ceremonial swearing in. “Our community’s travel successful this state has been a turbulent one. From slavery to Jim Crow, Jim Crow to wide incarceration, wide incarceration to a malignant narcissist successful the White House,” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), the incoming House number leader, told the group.

Congressional newsman covering the House of Representatives

Republican lawmakers crossed the ideological spectrum are expressing mixed feelings astir the talker vote. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) was affirmative that they volition elite a speaker, nary substance however agelong it takes. He wouldn’t accidental however agelong successful the voting process he’ll enactment Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), present a cardinal state of McCarthy aft helping descend his archetypal accidental astatine the speakership, said they mean to enactment connected the level until McCarthy wins. Asked however he’ll vote, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) joked that he’s not portion of the occupation earlier instructing reporters to “find different rebel” to question.

When the 118th Congress swears successful its recently elected members connected Tuesday, it volition see a grounds fig of caller Latino members.

The Post’s Silvia Foster-Frau writes that the 5 Republican and 9 Democratic freshmen driving the boost successful practice see the archetypal subordinate of Generation Z, the archetypal openly cheery Republican elected to Congress, and the archetypal Latino women from Colorado and Illinois. Per our colleague:

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Congressional newsman covering the House of Representatives

For the archetypal clip successful 4 years, Republicans are filing into a league country reserved exclusively for the bulk party. The question they’re perpetually proceeding arsenic they locomotion done hallways lined by reporters is, “Will helium get to 218?” — a notation to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Rep. Chip Roy (R-Tex.) inactive remains a holdout, telling reporters that “I conjecture we’ll find out” successful existent clip however he’ll vote. Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), who came retired arsenic a nary aboriginal Tuesday, reiterated his opposition.

After the Senate convenes astatine noon Eastern, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) volition ascend to the presumption of Senate president pro tem, succeeding the retiring Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.).

Murray volition beryllium the archetypal pistillate to clasp the enactment post, which is 3rd successful enactment for the presidency. The superior relation is presiding implicit the Senate successful the lack of the vice president.

In a connection aft Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) nominated her for the occupation successful November, Murray said, “It’s not mislaid connected maine the value of what it would mean to beryllium the archetypal pistillate to service successful this role.”

Congressional newsman covering the House of Representatives

We whitethorn not cognize however galore ballots it whitethorn — oregon whitethorn not — instrumentality to elite Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) speaker, but we should cognize aboriginal connected during the voting process astir his fate. The voting process is long, arsenic it requires members to basal up successful alphabetical bid and state who they’re supporting. A batch of the steadfast oregon leaning “no” votes are astatine the opening of the alphabet, similar Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Dan Bishop (R-N.C.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Andrew S. Clyde (R-Ga.) and Rep.-elect Eli Crane (R-Ariz.). That’s 5 already, with a batch much undeclared GOP members to spell arsenic the rotation telephone continues. Reminder: McCarthy tin suffer lone 4 GOP votes and inactive go speaker.

Seven caller senators volition beryllium sworn successful Tuesday. Here is simply a look astatine the newest members:

Katie Britt

The Alabama Republican was president and CEO of the Business Council of Alabama earlier her election. Britt, 40, astir notably worked arsenic main of unit for Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), the antheral she is succeeding.

Eric Schmitt

The Missouri Republican served arsenic the state’s lawyer general. Schmitt, 47, made a sanction for himself by often criticizing — and sometimes suing — the Biden medication connected covid-19 restrictions, the Affordable Care Act and LGBTQ rights. Schmitt replaces Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), a pragmatic Republican consenting to enactment with Democrats.

One time aft the caller Congress convenes, President Biden is scheduled to caput to Kentucky connected Wednesday for a uncommon quality with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). He plans to sermon his economical program and the benefits of the 2021 infrastructure law, which McConnell helped pass.

Writing successful The Early 202, The Post’s Leigh Ann Caldwell and Theodoric Meyer accidental they’ll beryllium watching however overmuch bipartisan bonhomie determination is successful Biden’s quality successful Covington, Ky., wherever the outdated and long-maligned Brent Spence Bridge crosses the Ohio River to Cincinnati. Per our colleagues:

In a stroke to House Republican person Kevin McCarthy, Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), president of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, said successful a connection Tuesday greeting that McCarthy has refused to judge demands that would let him to go speaker.

The nonaccomplishment of Perry — and possibly others — further complicates the way to the speakership for McCarthy. Five members antecedently signaled they are hard “no” votes, and Perry was not among them.

If each 434 members amusement up to ballot Tuesday and nary ballot “present,” McCarthy volition request 218 votes to go speaker, meaning helium tin suffer the enactment of lone 4 Republicans. (One House spot remains vacant pending a peculiar predetermination successful Virginia adjacent month.)

The caller freshman people of Congress is the youngest successful caller history.

The mean property is astir 46 for recently elected House members and astir 50 for recently elected senators. That’s younger than each of the past 7 freshman classes. And it’s overmuch younger than Congress overall.

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For the archetypal clip successful precisely 100 years, the U.S. House of Representatives whitethorn request much than 1 circular of voting to elite a talker erstwhile the caller Congress convenes connected Tuesday.

But a fewer other rounds of balloting would beryllium a acold outcry from the astir 2 months and 133 votes the House took to take its person successful 1856 — the longest and astir contentious talker predetermination successful its history, writes Ronald G. Shafer. Per Ronald:

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