WATCH LIVE: Kevin McCarthy’s House speaker dreams on the line in Tuesday’s vote
Cami Mondeaux
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House lawmakers are convening to elect the next speaker, who will lead the chamber over the next two years, shortly after the 118th Congress was sworn in on Tuesday.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is eyeing the top leadership spot and has been working for months to garner enough support to secure the speaker’s gavel. However, he must face growing opposition from within his own party to win the election — with the California Republican vowing to go through as many roll call votes as necessary to meet the required threshold.
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To secure the gavel, McCarthy needs a majority of voting members — in this case, 218 lawmakers — to vote for him when his nomination goes before the entire House floor. As of noon on Tuesday, the GOP will hold a 222-213 advantage in the House, giving McCarthy little room for error.