The US House of Representatives adjourned for the second day in a row without electing a new speaker, as conservatives within the Republican caucus have been steadfast in their opposition to California Rep. Kevin McCarthy's bid for the chamber's leadership.
McCarthy said Republicans are still discussing a path ahead after the House adjourned for a second day without a speaker, according to NBC News.
The California legislator told the press that the unification of enough Republicans in favor of calling it a night indicated the talks are going "well" and will likely continue; nevertheless, this does not suggest that their conclusion is imminent.
When asked what he planned to do after the House resumed its regular session on Thursday at noon, Kevin McCarthy said he would continue discussions with his colleagues.
Debate Rather Than Election
According to McCarthy, members would instead engage in a debate than cast votes on the floor. Therefore he proposed eliminating the six roll call votes that took place over two days to determine who would serve as speaker of the US House of Representatives.
The Republican lawmaker does not believe that continuous voting would be constructive. "We've been there. Everyone knows where they stand. The votes don't change much," he noted.
According to GOP sources familiar with the internal deliberations, Texas Rep. Chip Roy, one of the conservatives who has voted against McCarthy's speakership candidacy, informed GOP executives that he believes he can convince ten holdouts to support McCarthy if these current negotiations succeed and that there are further opponents who may be prepared to vote "present."
It has been reported that the meetings between Kevin McCarthy supporters and opponents on Wednesday were the most fruitful and serious of their kind so far.
In one evidence of a concession, a McCarthy-aligned super PAC decided not to engage in open Republican primaries in safe districts, one of the conservatives' main targets that McCarthy had rejected until now, CNN reported.
Read Also : Byron Donalds Emerges as Alternative to Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker Amid Chaos Among Republicans
However, even if these talks are successful and ten legislators switch to McCarthy's side, which is far from inevitable, that still leaves Kevin McCarthy short of the 218 votes necessary to become speaker.
The next House Majority Whip, Tom Emmer, described Wednesday night's discussions for the future speaker as productive.
The Republican from Minnesota said that many people were engaged in this, adding that some individuals are sitting down and discussing the topic of determining their next measures.
Donald Trump's Call for McCarthy Support Failed
During the fight for control of the US House of Representatives, Donald Trump has thrown his support behind troubled Rep. Kevin McCarthy.
Earlier on Wednesday, the former president urged his followers to "VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY" on his online platform, Truth Social.
Despite his pleading, Kevin McCarthy was defeated in three more rounds of voting. The previous president's supporters, numbering 20 conservative Republicans, stood firm.
Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado told the chamber that Donald Trump encouraged her and other dissenters "to knock this off," as per a BBC report.
The Republican legislator remarked that Donald Trump should contact McCarthy and tell him "it's time to withdraw" in her speech accepting the nomination for another Republican contender.
After the House failed to pick a Speaker in the first round for the first time in 100 years, Mr. Trump, who is running for president again in 2024, entered the fray on Wednesday morning.
Related Article: Donald Trump Fires Back After January 6 Committee Withdraws Subpoena
