Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday pleaded for House Republicans to back leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., after he failed to secure the speaker's job on three consecutive votes.
McCarthy on Tuesday repeatedly fell short of a majority needed to win the vote as the House failed to elect a speaker on the first ballot for the first time in 100 years. Nineteen right-wing Republicans, including Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., and Chip Roy, R-Texas, voted against McCarthy twice before Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., became the 20th vote against the GOP leader on the third ballot, backing Trump ally Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.
