A fifth round of voting is now underway. It happens after the Republicans’ favorite Kevin McCarthy got too few votes to secure a majority to become the new “speaker” in the fourth vote, which ended a short time ago. Then 20 Republicans voted for another candidate, Byron Donalds. He was nominated as a candidate for Speaker of the House of Representatives by party colleague Chip Roy. The Donalds were among the conservative Republicans who would not vote for McCarthy yesterday. Democratic candidate Hakeem Jeffries received 212 votes, as in the three previous polls on Tuesday. Donalds: – Washington is devastated Byron Donalds spoke to Fox News shortly after the fourth round of voting. The 44-year-old from Florida has been in Congress since 2021, and has, among other things, been critical of the US military support for Ukraine – I think the way forward is very difficult for Kevin. One of the most important things is that Washington is destroyed. You don’t just come here and get power. Leadership is something you have to earn here in Washington, Donalds told Fox News. Byron Donalds, and the Republicans who voted for him, are calling for a rule that would make it possible to oust the House leader at any time by asking for a vote. Donalds says to Fox News: – If the boss of a company does not do a good job, the board can fire him. – Why can’t it be like this in politics? asks Donalds. Day of chaos continues With a fifth round of voting underway, the voting chaos surrounding the election of a new leader of the House of Representatives continues. It is 100 years since it last happened that the politicians had to vote in several rounds to agree on a leader. The leader of the House of Representatives, or “speaker”, as it is called in the United States, holds the third most important political position in the United States after the president and vice president. Neither of the three votes held on Tuesday gave Republican favorite Kevin McCarthy the majority he needed to become leader. Even then he faced opposition from his most conservative party colleagues. After the third defeat, McCarthy told CNN that he has no intention of retiring. Republican favorite Kevin McCarthy on his way into Congress on Wednesday. Photo: EVELYN HOCKSTEIN / Reuters Key figure: 218 votes The Republicans have won 222 seats in the House of Representatives after the by-elections this autumn. To be elected as leader, a candidate needs the support of more than half of the 435 representatives. This means that a new leader must have a majority. If all politicians vote, it means support from at least 218 representatives. In other words: McCarthy does not get a majority if more than four Republicans vote for another candidate. Had to “turn over” 15 party members In the third and final round of voting on Tuesday, McCarthy received 202 votes. The last 20 Republican votes went to another Republican politician, Jim Jordan. The mood was tense during yesterday’s votes in the House of Representatives. Photo: EVELYN HOCKSTEIN / Reuters He was nominated by a group of conservative Republicans who would not vote for McCarthy. This happened after Jordan himself had given his support to McCarthy and asked his party members to vote for him. Before the fourth vote on Wednesday, McCarthy thus had to manage to “turn” 15 of the conservative Republicans who have previously voted against him. Among the Democrats, all voted for the party’s candidate, Hakeem Jeffries, in all three constituencies. He got 212 votes.
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Congress politicians start their fifth attempt to elect a leader – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
