speaker after four days and 15 rounds of voting. this was the moment that the longest speaker contest in 164 years came to a close. [ cheers ] but before the house selected its new speaker, the cameras captured a stunning political soap opera playing out on the house floor just before midnight. mccarthy and his allies thought they had the votes locked up in round 14, but florida congressman matt gaetz waited until the end of the ballot process to vote present even though mccarthy needed just one more yes vote to win. a stunned mccarthy walked up the house floor to confront gaetz. as he walked away looking dejected, enter arms services committee chairman mike rogers who lunged at gaetz and had to be restrained by fellow republican congressman hudson. many thought this was game over and the vote to adjourn until monday box office to pass be but then a breakthrough with gaetz was reached. mccarthy changed his vote on adjourning, and dozens followed. then the 15th time was the ch
432 elected congressmen or calling them congressmen-elect. he needs three more to close the deal. republicans are hoping at 10:00 p.m. time when they reconvene, he will have the three. that is a stubborn six that is left over. let s get the details from chad pergram with the very latest. chad? neil, the speakership is a game of inches. today for the first time since tuesday, kevin mccarthy finally showed he was gaining ground towards securing the votes to become speaker. i think you saw we made very good progress. we ll come back tonight and i believe tonight we ll have the votes to finish this once and for all. just remind me of what my father always told me. it s not how you start, it s how you finish. we have to finish for the american public. this is now the fifth longest speaker election in house history. mccarthy lacks the votes, however 15 house republicans who oppose mccarthy are now in his camp. i know you re all wondering what changed the vote. i think i can
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) offered a rare insight into the Republican campaign to stop his speaker bid in October following the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) announced his intention to continue his pursuit of the House speakership on Friday, adding that he's been having discussions with the 22 Republican defectors who voted against him.