WASHINGTON — House Republicans’ speaker nominee Kevin McCarthy does not yet have enough votes to win a floor election in January, but he told reporters Tuesday he will not drop out of the running and plans to take the fight to the floor if necessary.
“We’ll have 218,” the California Republican said, referring to the number of votes necessary to win a majority of the House in the floor election. “I’ll get there.”
Before the Thanksgiving recess, the House Republican Conference nominated McCarthy for speaker. He earned 188 votes in the secret-ballot conference nomination. His opponent, Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, earned 31 and another five write-in votes went to candidates whose names were not disclosed.
