House may hold third-round speaker vote today, but path to a majority is rocky
The House of Representatives is expected to take a third-round vote today on picking a speaker for the next Congress.
The Republican Party nominated Kevin McCarthy for Speaker, but he does not currently have the 218 votes needed to secure the position. A majority of the House Democratic Caucus has said they will not vote for McCarthy, leaving many in the party looking for another GOP candidate who can secure support from a majority of members.
The vote will be a test of whether McCarthy can rally enough support, although many on both sides of the aisle are skeptical that he can gather the necessary votes. If McCarthy fails to win a majority of votes, it is unclear what the next steps would be or who would be chosen as the eventual speaker.
The House Rules Committee is expected to meet later this morning to set parameters for the floor vote. The outcome of the vote will be an indication of whether the current stalemate between Republicans and Democrats can be resolved in the near future, or if any potential solution will require more time and compromise.