Kevin McCarthy Elected Speaker of US House of Representatives After 15th Round of Voting

Republican Kevin McCarthy was elected Speaker of the US House of Representatives in the early hours of January 7, after a 15th round of voting was required to break the deadlock.

According to local news reports, McCarthy was elected after granting concessions to sceptics on the right of his party.

There were dramatic scenes earlier in the evening, when McCarthy personally confronted GOP representatives Matt Gaetz of Florida and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, having narrowly lost the 14th round of voting.

The House had been at a standstill for four days while the voting took place – the longest the chamber has gone leaderless in a century, according to CNBC. Credit: C-SPAN via Storyful

Video Transcript

- Zinke.

RYAN ZINKE: The next Speaker of the United States, House Representative Kevin McCarthy.

- Zinke

RYAN ZINKE: The next Speaker of the United States, House Representative Kevin McCarthy.