Republicans fail to pick US House speaker after six rounds of votes

Party leader Kevin McCarthy fails to generate enough votes despite backing from Donald Trump and Mike Pence

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  The US House of Representatives convened on January 3, 2023, to open the new Congress. EPA

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  Republican House leader Kevin McCarthy, left, is campaigning to become the new US House speaker. AFP

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  Mr McCarthy casts his vote during the third round of voting for House speaker after failing to secure the 218 votes required to win the position. AP

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  House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, centre, gathers with fellow Democratic US representatives in the House chamber. AFP

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  Democratis Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speak in the House chamber after the legislative body fails to elect a speaker. AFP

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  Representative Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, right, speaks to Representative Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, during the first session of the 118th Congress in the House Chamber in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy again fell short of winning the speakership in the second round of voting as a small group of party dissidents continued their revolt in a stunning political rebuke to the California Republican that previews potential turmoil in the chamber over the next two years. Photographer: Al Drago / Bloomberg

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  Byron Donalds, centre, a Republican, flipped his vote after Mr McCarthy failed to secure the speaker position in the first two rounds of voting. AFP

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  Steve Scalise, a Republican, nominates Mr McCarthy for House speaker. AFP

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  Mr McCarthy listens to the third round of votes for House speaker on the opening day of the 118th Congress. AP

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  Chip Roy, a Republican, railed against the legislative processes of the House as he voted against Mr McCarthy for speaker. EPA

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  Mr McCarthy and Mr Scalise shake hands after Mr Scalise nominated the California Republican for House speaker. EPA

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  Matt Gaetz is one of the Republican holdouts voting against Mr McCarthy. Bloomberg

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  Mr Gaetz speaks during the first session of the 118th Congress. Bloomberg

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  Republican Jim Jordan is seen as an alternative choice for House speaker if Mr McCarthy cannot secure the 218 votes needed to win. EPA

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  Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks with Mr McCarthy. EPA

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  Ms Ocasio-Cortez speaks with Mr Jeffries on the House floor. Bloomberg

Republicans in the US House of Representatives failed in three successive votes on Wednesday to elect a new speaker, as far-right legislators continued to dash majority leader Kevin McCarthy's hopes of securing the job.

The California Republican has now suffered six humiliating defeats in two days as he failed over and over again to secure enough backers from within his own party — even with support from former president Donald Trump and former vice president Mike Pence.

But the potential 2024 presidential rivals' calls went unheeded by the group of hardline rebel Republicans, who view Mr McCarthy as insufficiently conservative and who have demanded changes to legislative processes in the House.

Lauren Boebert claimed that Mr Trump had called her on Tuesday evening, telling her and other like-minded Republicans to “knock it off” with their opposition to Mr McCarthy.

She said on the House floor that the former president should tell Mr McCarthy that he does not have the votes.

“It's time to withdraw,” she said before the fifth vote. After the sixth vote, lawmakers voted to adjourn until midday on Thursday.

Twenty Republicans voted in favour of Byron Donalds for the position in the last three rounds of votes.

Earlier in the day, Mr McCarthy had been confident, especially after securing the backing of Mr Trump.

“Some really good conversations took place last night, and it's now time for all of our great Republican House members to vote for Kevin, close the deal, take the victory and watch crazy Nancy Pelosi fly back home,” Mr Trump posted on the Truth Social platform on Wednesday morning.

Mr Pence also threw his weight behind Mr McCarthy.

Chip Roy, a Republican holdout, said: “We’re still a long way from fixing this institution the way it needs to be fixed.”

Because of the Republicans' slim majority of 222 seats in the 434-member chamber, Mr McCarthy can afford to lose only four of those votes to secure the 218 needed to secure the House speaker position.

President Joe Biden said on Wednesday morning that the Republicans' protracted process to elect a House speaker was “embarrassing”.

“I hope they get their act together,” he said.

With Republicans at a stalemate, business in the House cannot proceed. It also stalls Republican plans to establish committees investigating Mr Biden's family and administration, as well as put into motion their policy agenda for the session.

In addition, the new Congress cannot be sworn in until a speaker is elected.

Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic Party leader in the House, took to Twitter on Tuesday to deride the dysfunction of his Republican colleagues.

“Day one. House Dems are united and ready to get to work. Complete chaos on the other side of the aisle,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, all 212 Democrats continued to vote in support of Mr Jeffries for House speaker, breaking into applause each time he was nominated.

But with Democrats in the minority, it is highly unlikely that Mr Jeffries will be elected as speaker.

Karl Rove, a former top adviser in the George W Bush White House, called the “chaos” in the House an “utter, unmitigated disaster” for the Republicans.

The House speaker is one of the most powerful positions in Washington and second in line to the presidency.

Whoever holds the gavel controls the voting agenda, sets committee assignments and oversees the daily business of the lower chamber.

Departing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi used the powerful position to shepherd through the Affordable Care Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. She also set the schedule during both of former president Donald Trump's impeachments.

With Democrats unlikely to do Mr McCarthy any favours by voting for him, the House could be in for a long process to select a speaker.

Patrick deHahn contributed reporting from New York