Rep. Donalds Explains Switching Vote From McCarthy in Speaker Election

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) talks with fellow Republicans after the new Congress failed to elect a new House Speaker at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington on Jan. 03, 2023. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) flipped his vote against Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for House speakership during the third round of voting on Jan. 3, despite voting for the Republican leader on the first and second ballots.

“These continuous votes aren’t working for anyone,” Donalds said in a Twitter thread following the flip. “When the dust settles, we will have a Republican Speaker, now is the time for our conference to debate and come to a consensus. This will take time,” the congressman wrote.