'That Was Easy, Huh?' Kevin McCarthy's Bumpy Ride to Speaker's Chair

It took four days of debates and 14 futile ballots, but GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy finally managed to secure the House Speaker’s gavel on January 6.

The irony behind the California lawmaker’s words was a nod to the weeks of negotiating and days of stalemate that preceded the final 15th speakership ballot that allowed McCarthy to secure enough votes from GOP hardliners. The House had not failed to elect a speaker on the first ballot in 100 years, so this protracted hassle is one for the history books.

The drama that unfolded on Friday was particularly nail-biting. The House had adjourned until 10:00 p.m. on January 6 after a previous, thirteenth, botched ballot.

The suspenseful 'vota-a-rama' of a session started when proceedings for the 14th ballot opened. Going into that session, Kevin McCarthy had appeared confident, telling reporters:

He had, indeed, been on the cusp of securing the required votes after acceding to several demands from opposing Republicans and flipping into his corner 15 of the recalcitrant 21 GOP lawmakers by Friday afternoon.

As a 14th vote stretched deep into the night, the tension was palpable on the House floor. Staunch holdout Lauren Boebert voted "present". While this was not an endorsement, such a vote rendered it easier for McCarthy to win the majority of votes cast by effectively removing one former opposition vote.

Boebert's move appeared to clear the way to McCarthy's election. But then Representative-elect Eli Crane (Arizona) and Representative Matt Rosendale (Montana) both voted against the California lawmaker. This is when Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida found himself holding in his hands the fate of the outcome.

To begin with, Gaetz did not vote when his name was called, fueling the suspense. At the end of the roll call he voted “present,” which was not enough, as only a “yes” was what could have propelled McCarthy to victory.

Frustrated after having fallen one vote short during the late-night 14 vote in the chamber, at one point, McCarthy personally confronted GOP Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida. Gaetz appeared to point a finger at McCarthy, after which Representative Mike Rogers of Alabama began to approach Gaetz, only to be held back by other lawmakers.

After the failed 14th vote, it was decided not to adjourn, and immediately wade into the next, 15th ballot. At that point Republican Reps. Eli Crane and Andy Biggs, of Arizona, along with Montana's Matt Rosendale and Bob Good of Virginia all switched to voting “present” instead of their previous outright opposition. When Rep.-elect Ryan Zinke cast the last vote for McCarthy, the latter could finally wipe the sweat from his brow and utter, "Im glad it’s over.”

Looking ahead, could the rifts, heated debates and drama that were part-and-parcel of the speakership election be viewed as a taste of what is to come in the House of Representatives? A jubilant Kevin McCarthy did not think so.