After nearly a week of chaotic voting on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, Republican Kevin McCarthy of California was elected Speaker of the House of the 118th Congress just after midnight early Saturday morning after finally securing enough votes in the 15th ballot.
The final tally was 216 votes for McCarthy and 212 votes for Democrat Hakeem Jeffries of New York, after 6 far-right holdouts, including Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), lowered the threshold to secure the speakership by voting "present" instead of registering a vote for another GOP member.
"McCarthy made dangerous concessions to the most fringe members of the House in exchange for their support in his effort to become Speaker."
Progressive critics responded to the final vote by noting the price paid to win over the hostage-takers in the Republican conference.
"Kevin McCarthy has repeatedly put his personal ambitions ahead of our democracy," said Sean Eldridge, president of Stand Up America, referencing the GOP leader's membership in the "Sedition Caucus" to whom he said the new speaker had "sold his soul."
"He voted against certifying President Biden's victory and obstructed the investigation into the January 6 attack on our country," Eldridge said.
Eldridge noted that over 70% of the current GOP conference in the House "are election deniers, including every single member of GOP leadership." That fact, he said, "should be chilling to every American who cares about protecting our democracy and our freedoms."
\u201cThe Party of Insurrection has selected a Speaker by cutting a deal with its most hateful faction.\n\nBut know this\u2014we will fight with everything we\u2019ve got to mitigate the policy violence they intend to inflict.\n\nAnd in 2024, we will deliver the House back to the people.\u201d— Cori Bush (@Cori Bush) 1673069436
"This week," said Eldridge, "McCarthy made dangerous concessions to the most fringe members of the House in exchange for their support in his effort to become Speaker. The punishment for his political cowardice will be presiding over the GOP's conference of chaos for the next two years. Unfortunately, it's the American people who will pay the price."
\u201cHe committed to do anything but focus on what the American people actually care about. \n\nInstead, Speaker McCarthy will continue to do what he\u2019s done for the past 6 years: awkwardly cover for MAGA embarrassments while careening from one self-inflicted political fiasco to another.\u201d— Indivisible Guide (@Indivisible Guide) 1673069548
The 15th ballot followed a dramatic 14th ballot vote in which tensions soared on the floor of the House chamber.
The nearly five-day battle for the speakership is over.
This content originally appeared on Common Dreams and was authored by Jon Queally.