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Former President Donald Trump did not say if he is still standing by his endorsement of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for speaker of the House, adding, “we’ll see what happens,” after McCarthy failed to clinch the support necessary for the position in three separate votes on Tuesday, according to a report.
NBC News senior Capitol Hill correspondent Garrett Haake reported in a pair of tweets that he spoke with Trump on the phone Tuesday night and asked if he still backs McCarthy. Trump responded by saying, “We’ll see what happens,” without explicitly reaffirming or withdrawing his support of McCarthy.
With a very slim GOP majority of 222-212, McCarthy could only afford to lose up to four votes from his Republican colleagues and still hit the majority threshold of 218 to be elected speaker as all members of both parties were present and voting. Ahead of the first vote Tuesday, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) nominated Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) for the speakership. Biggs, along with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and others, have been leading voices in a faction of Republican representatives opposed to McCarthy.
McCarthy received 203 votes on the first ballot, 15 shy of what he needed, while all 212 Democrat members stood united and voted for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). With the GOP fractured, Biggs garnered ten votes, and another six backed Rep. Jim Jordan, who nominated McCarthy on the next ballot. Reps. Jim Banks (R-OH) and Byron Donalds (R-FL) each received a vote, as well as former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY).