McCarthy falls short again in ninth speaker vote, setting up 10th ballot

A ninth round of voting in the U.S. House of Representatives yet again failed to deliver a speaker on Thursday, as top House Republican Kevin McCarthy keeps facing opposition from too many fellow GOP lawmakers. Seventeen Republicans again voted for GOP Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida rather than McCarthy, while Reps. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma and Matt Gaetz of Florida backed Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, who has been supporting McCarthy. Gaetz had backed former President Donald Trump for speaker in Thursday’s prior rounds of voting. GOP Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana again voted “present.” The House last had nine rounds of voting for a speaker election in 1923, and the chamber now must vote a 10th time.