Speaker of the House Vote

The House of Representatives failed to elect a speaker for the first time since 1923.

The House of Representatives failed to elect a speaker for the first time since 1923 — as nearly two dozen Republicans refused to support Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California for the job.

Here are the winners and losers so far from the ongoing debate over the speakership.

House Democrats embraced the GOP divide Tuesday and Wednesday as leadership advised its members to remain present at all votes to ensure the majority threshold remains a challenge to McCarthy and his allies.

Opponents from within the conservative Freedom Caucus to McCarthy's bid for speakership are outnumbered 10 to 1 within the Republican Party, but they have been able to spike attempts to move forward due to the narrow Republican majority in the chamber.

Rep. Byron Donalds took office in 2020 and had high hopes for the newly elected 117th Congress when he ran for conference chair, but he lost to Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who is a key McCarthy ally. The tumult in the House has given him a moment to revel in the spotlight anyway. He flipped his vote to oppose McCarthy in the third failed attempt Tuesday, drawing wide attention. The congressman then went on Fox News and CNN Wednesday morning to describe his logic.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., used the GOP divide to poke fun at McCarthy, of whom he has been a vocal critic. Gaetz wrote a letter to the Architect of the Capitol agency to investigate why McCarthy was using the House speaker's office when he has yet to win the position.

Journalists in the nation's capital had the pleasure of covering a circus of events. They were at it early, up late, inundated with endless inches of easy copy. And they got to write a true first draft of history — or at least get the first crack at a footnote that will be cited every time future speaker seekers have a problem getting the gavel.

McCarthy first ran for speaker in 2015 but later dropped out in a decision that he said was because "there just wasn't a path to 218."