Republican Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has the dubious distinction of failing to win the vote for Speaker of the House on the first ballot — an outcome not seen since 1923. With over a dozen of his fellow Republicans voting against him, McCarthy attempted to sway his critics in a closed-door meeting before the vote. Failure to elect a speaker quickly could hamper House Republicans moving quickly on legislation involving a number of key issues including energy, immigration, and the economy.
