<p>House Republican Leader <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kevin-mccarthy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kevin McCarthy</a>&#8216;s (R-CA) campaign to become speaker gained momentum Friday as several GOP holdouts flipped and voted for him.</p>
<p>Of the 20 holdouts, 13 Republican members-elect joined the rest of their conference to support McCarthy in the first ballot of the day. They included: Dan Bishop (NC), Josh Brecheen (OK), Mike Cloud (TX), Andrew Clyde (GA), Byron Donalds (FL), Paul Gosar (AZ), Anna Paulina Luna (FL), Mary Miller (IL), Ralph Norman (SC), Andy Ogles (TN), Scott Perry (PA), Chip Roy (TX), and Keith Self (TX). Andy Harris (MD) flipped for McCarthy in the second ballot.</p>
<p>Victoria Spartz (R-IN), who voted for McCarthy on Tuesday and then &#8220;present&#8221; on Wednesday and Thursday, went back to voting for McCarthy on Friday.</p>
<p>Each vote by a holdout for McCarthy was met with loud cheers and applause in the House chamber. McCarthy still does not have a majority, and needs to sway just a few more holdouts to secure the speaker&#8217;s gavel. Democrats have voted as a bloc since Tuesday in support for Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).</p>
<p>After Friday&#8217;s second ballot, the House voted to adjourn until 10 p.m. ET.</p>
<p>McCarthy told reporters that he&#8217;s feeling &#8220;very good&#8221; about the flipped votes, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/house-speaker-leadership-vote-01-06-23/h_4bf8be4e1f53deaa90575e8fa399ba79" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to CNN</a>. Timing will play a roll moving forward, as House Republican leadership expects Ken Buck (R-CO) and Wesley Hunt (R-TX) to return Friday evening to support McCarthy, <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1611447263364096001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Punchbowl News&#8217; Jake Sherman</a>. Buck reportedly left the chamber Thursday for a medical appointment, while <a href="https://twitter.com/Newsweek/status/1611415476202274816" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hunt traveled to Texas</a> to be with his wife after she gave birth.</p>
<p>David Trone (D-MD) missed the first ballot on Friday due to surgery but returned to Capitol Hill in time for the second vote.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">7AM: Surgery<br />2PM: Back at the Capitol, still wearing my slippers and hospital socks</p>
<p>Time to vote for Hakeem Jeffries! <a href="https://t.co/Xvyg8VL4Wp">pic.twitter.com/Xvyg8VL4Wp</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Rep. David Trone (@RepDavidTrone) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDavidTrone/status/1611438384198696960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p>The final tally in Friday&#8217;s second ballot was 214 votes for McCarthy, 212 votes for Jeffries, and six for Jim Jordan (OH). Friday was the first day McCarthy earned more votes than Jeffries. This comes after the House on Thursday reached <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-speaker-race-reaches-10th-ballot-for-first-time-since-before-civil-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">double-digit ballots for the first time since before the Civil War</a>.</p>
<p>There have been 13 ballots total since Tuesday. Those Republicans who refused to budge in opposing McCarthy included Andy Biggs (AZ), Lauren Boebert (CO), Matt Gaetz (FL), Eli Crane (AZ), Bob Good (VA), Matt Rosendale (MT).</p>
<p>For the first ballot Friday, Boebert nominated Kevin Hern (R-OK) for speaker while Gaetz nominated Jordan. Despite receiving votes over the past few days, Hern and Jordan have stuck to supporting McCarthy.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/RepMattGaetz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepMattGaetz</a>: &quot;You only earn the position of Speaker of the House if you can get the votes. Mr. McCarthy doesn&#39;t have the votes today. He will not have the votes tomorrow. And he will not have the votes next week, next month, next year.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/118thCongress?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#118thCongress</a> <a href="https://t.co/yDBpqdyuX0">pic.twitter.com/yDBpqdyuX0</a></p>
<p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1611418526757289984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p>McCarthy and House Freedom Caucus leaders made progress overnight in negotiating a deal that would offer rule changes and committee positions, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/mccarthy-foes-inch-closer-deal-speaker-standoff-enters-day-4-rcna64553" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to NBC News</a>. This deal reportedly included a concession allowing just one member to force a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/01/03/motion-vacate-house-speaker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;motion to vacate,&#8221;</a> which is essentially a no-confidence vote.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">NEWS: Keith Self’s statement on changing his vote for McCarthy today — says their talks have moved the House towards being more functional and also says there are “obstructionists” just trying to promote themselves <a href="https://t.co/IiH0vodeAB">pic.twitter.com/IiH0vodeAB</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Olivia_Beavers/status/1611425480816615434?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></p></blockquote>
<p>Donalds, who earlier in the week received votes from GOP holdouts, called McCarthy &#8220;Speaker Designate&#8221; in a <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDonaldsPress/status/1611446614081638400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter thread Friday afternoon</a>. Donalds said he worked with McCarthy and other colleagues &#8220;in good faith to ensure accountability, representation, and commitments from House leadership in the 118th Congress. The progress we’ve made is significant.&#8221;</p>
<p>House members cannot be sworn in until a speaker is chosen, holding up any legislative business and committee assignments in the 118th Congress. The threshold for a nominee to win the speaker&#8217;s gavel was 218 votes, but because that number decreases if members vote &#8220;present,&#8221; decline to vote, or are absent, it has been oscillating between 217 and 216. If Buck and Hunt do return Friday evening, that number could rise back up to 218.</p>
<p>The House will continue to vote until someone reaches a majority to become speaker.</p>

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McCarthy’s Speaker Bid Gains Momentum As Several Republican Holdouts Flip