Loss No. 7 as McCarthy, Opponents Keep Seeking Speaker Agreement
Rep. Kevin McCarthy lost a seventh straight vote for a new speaker of the House of Representatives on Jan. 5, but the back-room bargaining continues between the California Republican and populist conservative dissidents demanding new leadership.
As occurred on the six previous counts on Jan. 3 and Jan. 4, Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York received the votes of all 212 members of his party. McCarthy, for the fourth time, received 201 Republican votes, while Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida got 19 other 20 GOP ballots.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) voted for former President Donald Trump, despite the fact Trump is a McCarthy booster. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) voted Present for the fourth consecutive ballot….