House speaker paralysis is confusing – a political scientist explains what's happening

Political observers, most Americans and even members of Congress can't remember a battle for the post of speaker of the U.S. House as fraught as the one that began back in January 2023 and continues still, 10 months later. On Jan. 7, California Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy finally became speaker after 15 rounds of voting. On Oct. 17 and again on Oct. 18, Ohio Republican Jim Jordan came up short in two rounds of voting to replace McCarthy.