The House of Representatives has attempted to elect a Speaker of the House six times and six times over the past two days Republican Kevin McCarthy has failed to get the necessary 218 votes.
On each of these six votes, McCarthy has received fewer votes than House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. This makes him the biggest winner in this whole debacle thus far. Even if he doesn't get elected Speaker that doesn't matter because that is not the expected outcome. But with each passing ballot while Republicans are in open warfare, Democrats have demonstrated solidarity and unity. There might be disagreements behind the scenes but that is where they have been kept. Jeffries has shown himself to be calm and in control and has thus increased his standing. Whoever Republican elect as Speaker there will be chaos. Come 2024, I suspect a lot of voters will prefer to see the gavel being held by Hakeem Jeffries.
The biggest loser of this sordid affair aside from McCarthy himself is Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. She has expended a great deal of political capital on backing McCarthy and has gone after one-time allies like Lauren Boebert, Matt Gaetz and Andy Biggs alienating part of the MAGA base in the process. Greene is tied to McCarthy's hip and McCarthy is dragging her down with him. Even if McCarthy does prevail, he is on borrowed time and Greene stands to lose influence and prestige because of it.
How much longer will it take to elect a Speaker? The longer this goes on the more winners and losers we will see.
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