The Republican majority’s effort to provide accountability falters on day one. Wall Street Journal: Representative Kevin McCarthy again failed to cross the threshold to win the House speaker post, with 20 Republicans voting against him on the third ballot. On the first two ballots 19 Republicans voted against Mr. McCarthy, but Republican Representative Byron Donalds of Florida joined Mr. McCarthy’s opponents in the third ballot.
Mr. McCarthy could lose just four votes because all Democrats voted for Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York. All of Mr. McCarthy’s opponents voted for Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, who has said he doesn’t want to be speaker and supported Mr. McCarthy (Wall Street Journal). CSPAN: “A speaker has not been elected…The House stands adjourned until noon tomorrow” (Twitter).
Hugh Hewitt: Jim Jordan is a genuine conservative interested in governing and eager to begin oversight hearings on the collapse of the border and the politicization of the disgraced FBI and Department of Homeland Security. But 20 members of a 222 member caucus are blocking the way forward. Jordan is a good man and won’t budge (Twitter).