Congressman Alex Mooney voted three times Tuesday for Kevin McCarthy to be the next speaker of the House of Representatives and once so far today.
There could be even more votes as Congress makes history for the challenge of formally electing a leader.
“I did vote for Kevin McCarthy. I told him that I would,” Mooney, R-W.Va., said today on MetroNews’ “Talkline.” “I thought he’s done a good enough job. He’s earned that, a vote from me. He’s always been good to me personally and fair, I think. I think he’s done a good job for taking us to the Senate majority.
“I will say, and I’ll get a little pushback from this, I’m a little surprised he hasn’t sealed the deal and gotten enough votes to become speaker.”
The House failed to elect a speaker while Kevin McCarthy failed to gather the necessary votes to be sworn in. @RepAlexMooney discusses this news with @HoppyKercheval. WATCH: https://t.co/yCFQ3nEhk6 pic.twitter.com/bjIJzbvyUx
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) January 4, 2023
McCarthy has been the most recent leader for Republicans in the House. But now, as Republicans are poised to take over a narrow majority, his leadership is in doubt because of opposition by about 20 colleagues from his own party.
The threshold to become speaker is an outright majority of members of Congress taking part in the vote. The212 participating Democrats have consistently voted for Hakeem Jeffries as speaker. Most Republicans have voted for McCarthy. But the 20 holdouts have voted for others, so McCarthy hasn’t been able to reach the necessary number.
Congresswoman Carol Miller, West Virginia’s other Republican representative, has also voted for McCarthy every round so far.
Without selecting a speaker, Congress is unable to swear in new members, set rules, set up committees or engage in a range of basic actions.
It could be worse.
In 1856, it took Nathaniel Banks 133 votes over several months to become speaker.
But this has been the first time in 100 years that the speaker hasn’t been decided on first ballot.
The spectacle of vote after vote for speaker has drawn significant attention. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., has been watching and told Politico that she doesn’t care for what she sees.
“The unsteadiness I see over there [in the House] concerns me,” said Capito, a former member of the House. “We get the majority, and then we start a circular firing squad.”
She added, “I just hope they can overcome the dysfunction. And also, I’m very glad I’m not back in the House.”
After McCarthy's speaker vote debacle, rising fears in GOP of complete instability in House. At some point, Rs must govern
Sen. Capito: “The unsteadiness I see over there concerns me. We get the majority, and then we start a circular firing squad"https://t.co/kpajb6hzyY
— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) January 4, 2023
Mooney, a member of the Freedom Caucus, has said he would like to support Congressman Jim Jordan for speaker. Jordan was officially nominated yesterday and received 20 votes. But Jordan himself has said he supports McCarthy and would be in line to serve as Judiciary Chairman, potentially heading up a variety of investigations.
“Somebody has to get to 218,” Mooney said, referring to the threshold of votes necessary if all members of Congress are available and participating.
“I’d like to vote for Jim, but Jim is supporting Kevin,” Mooney said. “I do think Kevin McCarthy has been strong in many of the things he’s done. He’s taken us to the majority. He’s agreed to some of the reforms I support. It’s not going to be the perfect person. So that’s where I am. That’s why I voted for him.”
By early this afternoon, it was clear that even more votes were still ahead.
For the moment, Mooney said McCarthy would still have his support.
“That’s where I am right now. I can’t read the future. I don’t know what’s going to happen today.”
Democracy can be messy, but we WILL have a speaker. pic.twitter.com/qP46bCopSU
— Rep. Alex Mooney (@RepAlexMooney) January 4, 2023