He was officially announced Speaker of the 118th US Congress at 12.38am Saturday morning (US time) as his colleagues chanted “USA! USA!” . Of 428 votes cast,McCarthy received 216. Democrat nominee Hakeem Jeffries,who succeeded Nancy Pelosi as his party’s leader,had 212 votes.
Newly minted Speaker Kevin McCarthy gavels the House to adjournment for the day at the US Capitol in Washington on Saturday.Credit:AP
As he took the Speaker’s gavel to deliver his first speech shortly after 1am,McCarthy joked:“That was easy,huh? I never thought we’d get here.”
He also outlined his list of priorities for the next two years,including combating China’s rise,curbing “wasteful Washington spending” and launching investigations into the US withdrawal from Afghanistan,the origins of COVID-19 and the “weaponisation” of the FBI.
“Now,the hard work begins,” he said. “What we do here today,next week,next month,next year,will set the tone for everything that follows.”
US President Joe Biden congratulated McCarthy,saying he was prepared to work with Republicans “when I can” and that voters had made clear at the midterm elections “that they expect Republicans to be prepared to work with me as well”.
“The American people expect their leaders to govern in a way that puts their[the people’s] needs above all else,and that is what we need to do now,” Biden said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also tweeted congratulations to McCarthy amid concerns that some House Republicans want to re-evaluate America’s military aid to his country to combat Russia’s invasion.
“We’re counting on your continued support and further US assistance to bring our common victory closer,” Zelensky wrote.
Trump took to his own Truth Social platform to congratulate McCarthy and “our great Republican Party”.
Among the most notable members to switch to McCarthy were Scott Perry,the chair of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus,who had previously been a staunch critic;Florida congressman Byron Donalds,who had earlier been nominated as an alternative Speaker;and Texas congressman Chip Roy,who has been a key negotiator behind the scenes to overhaul the rules of the House.
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But McCarthy was always going to face an uphill battle to win over the “Never Kevin” faction,particularly after Gaetz launched such a scathing attack on him before Friday’s vote that dozens of Republicans walked out during his speech. Gaetz on Thursday had evennominated Donald Trump for the role due to a bizarre rule allowing anyone to be named as candidate.
During a speech earlier,the outspoken congressman accused McCarthy of “selling shares” of himself to lobbyists and “then doing their bidding at the expense of the American people”.
“You only earn the position of Speaker of the House if you can get the votes,” Gaetz said.
“Mr McCarthy does not have the votes. Mr McCarthy doesn’t have the votes today,he will not have the votes tomorrow,and he will not have the votes next week,next month or next year. And so,one must wonder,Madam Clerk,is this an exercise in vanity for someone who has done the math,taken the counts,and is putting this institution through something that absolutely avoidable?”
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The bitter fight over the speakership foreshadowed how hard it could be for McCarthy to govern with only a four-seat majority and an unpredictable hard-right faction intent on slashing spending,reducing the size of government and overhauling the way Congress works. Crucial tasks such as passing government funding bills or addressing the federal debt could prompt major struggles over the next two years.
The shift in votes came after McCarthy agreed to many of his detractors’ demands,including to a House rule that will allow a single member to call a vote to oust him from office.
Another concession will give members of the Freedom Caucus more seats on the powerful House Rules Committee,allowing them to assert greater influence over amendments that can be considered – or blocked – in the chamber.
He has also agreed to allow a vote to establish term limits for House politicians,as well a vote on a border security bill.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy swears in members of the 118th Congress in the early hours of Saturday.Credit:AP
McCarthy briefed Republicans on a morning conference call on the concessions he had made to the rebels. Some allies had previously been concerned that he would give too much ground to his detractors,while others urged the rebels to “take the deal” and compromise.
Asked what the turning point was to get some of his detractors to support him,McCarthy told reporters:“I think getting together and finding the ability[to establish] how we’re all going to work together. It’s new for us... being in a tight majority,but I think at the end of the day we’re going to be more effective,more efficient,and the government is definitely going to be more accountable.”