WASHINGTON — House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Friday failed in his 13th attempt to succeed Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as speaker but edged closer to finally clinching the gavel as he flipped a 15th vote his way Friday.
McCarthy’s vote total had fallen from 203 on Tuesday to 200 on Thursday. But Republicans finally began to move in his direction Friday afternoon, when 15 hard-liners who had supported alternatives or voted present on earlier ballots switched their votes to him.
Raucous applause from the Republican conference met each new announcement for McCarthy, though many members who switched their vote to McCarthy said that their flips were contingent upon a deal to reform House rules. The deal is expected to empower a far-right faction of House Republicans by granting them seats on the all-important Rules Committee and other concessions.
