Republican U.S. House of Representatives members on Tuesday reportedly nominated party leader Kevin McCarthy for speaker in a vote of 188 to 31.
From HuffPost:
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) took a step Tuesday toward becoming speaker as his Republican colleagues nominated him for the role in a closed-door vote, a spokesman for the lawmaker said. Some conservatives have questioned McCarthy’s leadership after Republicans failed to ride a red wave into control of the House after last week’s midterm elections, but McCarthy’s doubters aren’t signaling they’ll actually block his path. Republicans are likely to secure a House majority in the coming days as votes are counted in the few remaining races out west, and McCarthy can probably cut a deal to win over the hardliners. “This will work out fine,” Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) told HuffPost. “These interfamily discussions always work out in the end.” McCarthy faced a nominal challenge Tuesday from Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), a top member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, which has sought rules changes that would essentially weaken the speaker and give rank-and-file members more power over the chamber — including the ability to depose the speaker at any time.
