Republican nominee for leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy failed for the 11th time in the election, with a conservative group from his party maintaining the vote for other candidates.
Already after the tenth attempt to elect the leader of the House of Representatives, this crisis scenario has not been registered in North American politics for 160 years, AFP news agency reported.
On the 11th attempt, McCarthy received 200 votes, while Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries maintained his party’s 212 votes, below the 218 needed for the election.
Alternate candidates proposed by conservatives opposed to McCarthy, Kevin Hern and Donald Trump, nominated by Florida ultraconservative Matt Gaetz, won a total of eight votes.
Republican Byron Donalds also received 12 votes, although he was not nominated this time.
He is discussing whether congressmen will go ahead with a 12th ballot or postpone the session until next Friday, the agency Efe reported.
During the vote, US media, such as the Washington Post and The Hill, reported that Republicans had reached an agreement to elect Kevin McCarthy, who allegedly gave in to many of the demands of opponents within the party.
However, some congressmen declined to consider the possibility of accepting McCarthy’s election, which this Thursday guaranteed his determination to maintain the candidacy.
But supporters and opponents apparently emerged increasingly desperate this Thursday, facing a situation with no end in sight, the Associated Press (AP) news agency reported.
Under congressional rules, the chamber will continue to meet until a candidate receives the 218 votes necessary for leadership.
US President Joe Biden has already described the blockade of the election of the new leader of the House of Representatives as “shameful” due to internal divisions among Republicans.
Some detractors accuse McCarthy of funding more moderate candidates in November’s midterm elections, in which the conservatives managed to wrest control from the Democrats but fell far short of the good results many media predicted.
Others criticize McCarthy for not negotiating with them to reform the rules of debate and the names to head congressional committees in the new term.
The leader of the House of Representatives is the third highest authority in the country after the President of the United States, Joe Biden, and the Vice President, Kamala Harris, who also presides over the Senate.
Source: DN
