On the Democratic side, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and Vice Chair Ted Lieu will hold a press conference at 10:45 a.m. after their closed caucus meeting that starts at 9 a.m. Look for Democrats to take questions on whether they will help Republicans by having some members absent from the chamber today, lowering the overall voting majority and number McCarthy would need to clinch the speakership.
Last night, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said his caucus is focused on having a working partnership with Republicans to pass bipartisan legislation, but they’re not responsible for helping the GOP get organized.
Once the House gavels in at noon, members-elect could choose to vote again for speaker or adjourn again to allow for more negotiations.
—Candy Woodall
Rep. Kevin McCarthy is shifting his strategy to become speaker of the House – or at least he’s shifting the way he’s talking about it.
When a confident, almost defiant, McCarthy spoke during and after a Republican conference meeting Tuesday morning, he had said he wasn’t making any more concessions to appease the most conservative flank of his party and that he had “earned” the speakership.
By Tuesday night at the Capitol, after he had lost three votes to become speaker, he said he wanted all views to be represented on House committees and that negotiations were ongoing between his more than 200 supporters and 20 detractors.
McCarthy also said he had a new path to the speakership. Rather than focusing on the 218 votes needed to win the speakership outright, he mentioned 11 votes last night he needs to flip. A lot of that strategy involves getting some of his 20 dissenters to vote “present” rather than for a named candidate, which would allow him to win the speakership with a lower majority of votes.
—Candy Woodall
What could happen next?
Members will continue to vote — again and again potentially when they come back at noon. The vote could last for days, weeks or months until a speaker candidate receives enough votes. This leaves the House paralyzed since no member can be sworn in, no rules can be adopted and no legislative business can be conducted until a speaker is chosen
