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Post Politics Now House adjourns without electing a speaker after negotiations among GOP

On Jan. 4, Republican Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) failed to garner the 218 votes needed to be elected House speaker. (Video: Adriana Usero/The Washington Post, Photo: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

Today, House majority Republicans, in turmoil, were unable to elect a speaker as GOP nominee Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) failed on the sixth ballot. Republican foes have kept him from getting close to a majority in the latest round of voting for speaker that has now stretched over two days. After the latest tally, the House adjourned until 8 p.m., giving Republicans time to confer on their next steps.

With GOP members saying the evening’s conversations were productive but didn’t yield a resolution, the motion to adjourn was passed, 216-214.

Twenty Republicans voted for Byron Donalds (Fla.) as an alternative to McCarthy. One Republican, Victoria Spartz (Ind.), voted present. Donalds, 44, one of the few Black Republicans in Congress, has represented a Florida district since 2021.

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