Kevin McCarthy Flips 14 Congress Members in 12th Vote for House Speaker

U.S. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) shakes hands with representative-elect Troy Nehls (R-Texas) in the House Chamber during the third day of elections for Speaker of the House in Washington on Jan. 5, 2023. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

A number of the 20 populist conservative dissidents who have hung tough all week against Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s campaign to be elected Speaker of the House of Representatives relented and voted for him on Jan. 6, but the California Republican still fell short, meaning the contest continues.

Members assembled at noon for the fourth day of speaking, debating, negotiating, and voting in the historic effort to name a successor to now-former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).