Kevin McCarthy has been elected Speaker of the US House of Representatives after heated exchanges.
The Speaker sets the House agenda and oversees legislative business. The post is second in line to the presidency after the US vice-president.
The deepest legislative dysfunction in 160 years came to an end with the 57-year-old McCarthy's win on the fifteenth ballot. But it clearly demonstrated the challenges he will encounter in governing a small and strongly divided majority. Finally, he prevailed by a score of 216-211. Only five members of his own party withheld their ballots, not supporting McCarthy as leader but also not voting for a rival, allowing him to win with support from fewer than half of the House members.
Mr. McCarthy told reporters that former President Trump had helped him get the final votes.
"He was with me from the beginning... he would call me and he would call others," he said.
Following McCarthy's win, US President Joe Biden congratulated him and said he looked forward to co-operating with the Republican Party.
The Speaker sets the House agenda and oversees legislative business. The post is second in line to the presidency after the US vice-president.
The deepest legislative dysfunction in 160 years came to an end with the 57-year-old McCarthy's win on the fifteenth ballot. But it clearly demonstrated the challenges he will encounter in governing a small and strongly divided majority. Finally, he prevailed by a score of 216-211. Only five members of his own party withheld their ballots, not supporting McCarthy as leader but also not voting for a rival, allowing him to win with support from fewer than half of the House members.
I hope one thing is clear after this week: I will never give up. And I will never give up for you, the American people. https://t.co/uLqPKa1maZ
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) January 7, 2023
Mr. McCarthy told reporters that former President Trump had helped him get the final votes.
"He was with me from the beginning... he would call me and he would call others," he said.
Following McCarthy's win, US President Joe Biden congratulated him and said he looked forward to co-operating with the Republican Party.
