McCarthy loses House speakership in 4th round, splitting votes with Jeffries, Donalds

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WATCH LIVE: House reconvenes as McCarthy's bid for speaker stands on shaky ground

The House voted to elect a speaker three times Tuesday after McCarthy repeatedly failed to secure enough support to win a majority of members present.

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy again failed to secure the necessary 218 votes to be the next House speaker in a fourth round of voting Wednesday.

House Democrats have remained united behind incoming House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., in all four rounds of voting, with all 212 casting a vote for him, but McCarthy only captured 202 Republican votes in the first three rounds. 

In new developments Wednesday afternoon, 20 Republicans voted for Florida Republican Byron Donalds, and Indiana Republican Victoria Spartz defected from supporting McCarthy to voting "present."

The House Freedom Caucus nominated Donalds for House speaker during Wednesday's votes.

"Now, here we are. And for the first time in history, there have been two Black Americans placed into the nomination for speaker of the House," said Texas Republican Chip Roy.

Republicans erupted into cheers and rose for a standing ovation after Roy's remarks. Some Democrats also joined in the standing ovation.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., arrives at the Capitol as the House meets for a second day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Incoming Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), speaks during a press conference with incoming House Democratic Leadership at the U.S. Capitol on December 13, 2022 in Washington, DC.  (Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

Jeffries was nominated by the Democrats to the speaker position. McCarthy was officially nominated by Rep.-elect Mike Gallagher, R-Wis.

Gallagher drew a standing ovation from both sides of the aisle when he said the members were lucky to be living in the greatest country in the world. One member shouted, "Gallagher for speaker." 

Representative Byron Donalds, a Republican from Florida, speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas, U.S., on Sunday, July 11, 2021. (Photographer: Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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After the House gaveled in, lawmakers were told they could expect a vote on a Republican motion to adjourn, which would have stalled the fourth vote on the election of the speaker. However, the GOP motion to adjourn was not immediately offered as the votes may not have been there and McCarthy allies balked.