Shortly after convening at 8pm Eastern Time, the House of Representatives voted to adjourn without taking what would have been a seventh vote for Speaker of the House.
That followed an adjournment earlier in the day at roughly 4:30pm Eastern Time after Rep.-elect Kevin McCarthy had failed to secure the 218 needed votes in three rounds of voting in a row to win the House Speakership.
Rep.-elect Tom Cole (R-OK) called for the adjournment just after 8pm following the prayer and pledge of allegiance. After which yeas and nays were ordered and recorded via electronic devices. The yeahs were 216 the nays were 214 to adjourn until 12pm Eastern Time Thursday.
According to reports, McCarthy rejected pursuing a fourth round of voting on Wednesday, as no deal had been reached with the roughly 20 Republicans who had dug in their heels, voting for spoilers in a total of six rounds of ballots Tuesday and Wednesday.
“I think it’s probably best—let people work through some more. I don’t think vote tonight does any different but I think vote in the future will,” he told reporters.
By contrast on the other side of the chamber, all 212 House Democrats voted unanimously for Rep.-elect Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) in all six rounds of voting.
The Constitution requires that the House elect a Speaker, and the vote takes priority over all other business. No other business can be done until the Speakership is resolved.
