WASHINGTON — House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California told reporters Friday that he has the votes to be elected speaker, promising an end to a historic stalemate that has paralyzed Congress all week.
As members were approving a Friday afternoon motion to adjourn until 10 p.m. Eastern time, McCarthy told CNN’s Manu Raju that he had counted, and knew he had the votes to win on the next ballot.
McCarthy had flipped 15 votes his way on Friday — nearly enough to clinch the speaker’s gavel on the 13th ballot.
