Republican leader Kevin McCarthy repeatedly fell short in his campaign to become Speaker of the US House of Representatives on a day marked by intense political drama.
On Tuesday evening, the House adjourned without electing a speaker, the first time this had happened since the first round of elections in 1923.
The beginning of a new Congress was meant to be the Republican Party’s victory lap after winning control of the lower chamber in the elections held in November. Instead, Mr McCarthy encountered an internal uprising and made history for all the wrong reasons.
The California congressman has so far lost three consecutive votes for speaker, and it’s uncertain how he might succeed when the House reconvenes on Wednesday. They will keep voting until a majority is reached.
Analysts caution that even if Mr McCarthy finds a way, the unrest on the House floor portends a turbulent two years of conflict between moderate and right-wing Republicans.
The ability of the House to carry out some of its key duties, such as enacting spending bills or raising the debt ceiling, may be hampered if the Republican party is unable to effectively control the lower body of Congress.
