Kevin McCarthy Comes Up Short on 14th Speaker Vote, Prevails on 15th Ballot

The House needed a 15th ballot early Saturday morning to elect Kevin McCarthy speaker of the House after he fell one vote short late Friday night.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) shouted “Present!” with the deciding vote as McCarthy failed to notch a majority to become House speaker on Friday night after key Republican holdouts continued to refuse his bid for the gavel. The result led to a heated exchange between McCarthy and Gaetz.

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) immediately had to be restrained after he and Gaetz got into a shooting match. After cooler heads prevailed, Republicans decided to vote again – this time with McCarthy certain he had the votes to win. And he did.

McCarthy vowed throughout a turbulent week that he would not give up his quest for the position. He faced stiff opposition among members of his own party.

A day earlier, McCarthy lost 21 votes among GOP members during the 11th round of voting. McCarthy told CNN’s Manu Raju on Friday afternoon he believed he had finally made enough deals after the House voted to adjourn until 10 p.m. ET.

Raju asked, “Mr. McCarthy, do you think you have the votes to be elected Speaker tonight?”

“Yes,” McCarthy responded.

McCarthy did not have the votes.

Friday night’s failed vote prolonged a contentious process that has seen McCarthy attacked by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) as a mere “squatter” occupying the speaker’s office. The process also saw Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) criticize her colleague Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) as “not serious” over her opposition to McCarthy’s bid to lead her party’s majority.

It was the first time since 1923 that a candidate for speaker failed to get elected on the first ballot. Then-incumbent House Speaker Frederick Gillett retained the gavel after four days and nine votes. In 1855, Rep. Nathaniel Banks was finally elected speaker after two months and 133 ballots.

This is a developing story that has been updated.