The Battle to Be Mr. Speaker

McCarthy wins on the 16th Vote. Photographic History of the Events

It is often said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and there have been thousands and thousands of words of commentaries, opinions, prognostications, evaluations and analysis of the events of the last week. Though the Republicans have a Majority, it is hard to say they control the House. With McCarthy’s conciliations and compromises with the GOP opposition, not all of which are yet known, it is hard to know who will actually be in control.

So rather than speculating on what will happen the next two years in the House, I am here just presenting some photographic history of the events in the Battle for the Speakership.

The Clerk of the House did an excellent job keeping an orderly voting amidst major disorder. She was picked by Nancy Pelosi.

On the Republican side, the Dramatis Personae were:

In a switch, Marjorie Taylor Greene decided to be a McCarthy supporter and almost an institutionalist.

As voting got underway, a group of 20 GOP members opposed McCarthy, and some called them the Taliban 20.

Matt Gaetz assumed the role of general in charge of the dissident Republicans.

Vote after vote occurred with no Speaker being chosen, and in some of the early votes Democrat Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader, got more votes than McCarthy.

As the votes went on and on without a selection of Speaker, some Republicans came to the floor of the house during an adjournment and prayed.

The pressure of multiple defeats became difficult for McCarthy.

Meanwhile, the Democrats transferred leadership from former Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

But tensions got very tight as Gaetz and his Taliban 20 would not budge despite repeated concessions by McCarthy. This lead to a major confrontation where Mike Rogers charged Gaetz and had to be held back from assaulting him.

Gaetz responded to the charge by Rogers with his own raised fist for his victory, as he saw it.

Jim Jordan, the House pugilist, was more low key, and he gave a spirited speech in support of McCarthy, but the vote afterwards had the dissidents led by Gaetz give Jordan 19 votes, though he claimed no interest in being Speaker.

The Democrats loved the spectacle of the Republicans airing their internal dissention, but the Democrats firmly united behind Jeffries. Here he is with Aguilar, one of his leaders.

Finally, after several defections from the Gaetz right-wing team, even Gaetz finally acquiesced, and McCarthy was elected Speaker.

Jeffries then gives a blockbuster speech on Democratic priorities and values.

At the end of his speech, Jeffries gives the gavel to McCarthy.

McCarthy is sworn in as Speaker, and he swears in the House members.

McCarthy and Jeffries assume their roles as Speaker and Minority Leader for the 118th Congress.