BREAKING: Republican Kevin McCarthy Emerges US House Speaker
By Boniface Ihiasota, USA
Kevin McCarthy, a Republican, was elected as the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday after making concessions to a group of right-wing hardliners, which raised concerns about the party’s ability to govern effectively.
McCarthy faced a final challenge when Representative Matt Gaetz withheld his vote on the 14th ballot.
This prompted a scuffle in which fellow Republican Mike Rogers had to be physically pulled away.
McCarthy ultimately won on the 15th ballot with a margin of 216-212, but his victory highlighted the difficulties he will face in leading a narrow and deeply divided majority. In fact, he was able to be elected with the votes of fewer than half of the House members, as six members of his own party withheld their votes, neither supporting McCarthy nor voting for another contender.
