The start of the 118th Congress has come with some drama: As of Wednesday afternoon, the 434 members-elect in the chamber have not been able to elect a speaker. It’s the first time in 100 years a speaker of the House has not been elected on the first ballot.
House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy is attempting to win the speaker seat after Republicans took control of the chamber during last fall’s midterm elections. But he faces a opposition from a number of GOP members who do not want him in the job. Meanwhile, the work of House is in limbo as the speaker votes continue — members-elect cannot be sworn in and committees can’t meet until a speaker of the House is elected.
Lisa Desjardins provides an update from the Capitol as McCarthy as the day of voting was unfolding.
CREDITS: Lisa Desjardins, Tim McPhillips, Dan Cooney, Yasmeen Alamiri.
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