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Rep. Kevin McCarthy was not elected Speaker for the 14th time this week Friday night.
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The floor of the House of Representatives was in turmoil after a tense exchange between Rep. McCarthy and Rep. Matt Gates.
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Rep. Mike Rogers appeared to lunge at Gates and was held back by Rep. Richard Hudson.
The US House of Representatives was thrown into chaos Friday night after Rep. Kevin McCarthy failed to win enough votes to be elected Speaker for the 14th time this week.
hardliner about 20 Republicans After repeatedly voting against McCarthy on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, California’s representatives made some progress on Friday morning. overturn 14 votes in favor of him.
Still not good enough to be elected Speaker, the vote took place late Friday night, resulting in the most chaotic scene yet in the House.
The vote was closing in when Florida Rep. Matt Gates led the charges against McCarthy all week, but he finally voted to “present.”
McCarthy got up from his seat and approached Gates, and the two caught the tense confrontation on C-SPAN. Usually limits what the network can shoot.
It’s unclear what was being discussed between the two, but McCarthy appeared almost solemn, while the agitator from Florida was more lively, pointing and gesturing with his hands.
Towards the end of the exchange, which lasted about a minute and a half, Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama was seen confronting Gates as McCarthy walked away. CNN reporter Annie Grayer C-SPAN feed showed Rogers as reporting Rogers lunged at Gates seem to be suppressed By Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina.
As McCarthy turned toward the scene, he heard the congressman screaming.
Shortly after the exchange, voting continued for the chair, with McCarthy finishing with 216 of 432 votes. Deliberations continued on the House floor before the final vote count was called.
Rep. Patrick McHenry has moved to postpone Congress until Monday, but the vote failed, with the 15th round of voting beginning around 11:45 p.m. local time on Friday.
A representative for Rogers did not immediately respond to an insider’s request for comment.
Read the original article at business insider