House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) receives applause from fellow Representatives at the start of start of the 118th Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 3, 2023 in Washington, DC

House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy lost the first round of votes for the House Speakership on Tuesday, kicking off a dramatic session that is expected to last hours.

Nineteen House Republicans backed someone other than McCarthy in the initial vote. 

It became apparent soon after the roll call vote began that McCarthy did not have the votes to outright win the gavel.

Audible gasps could be heard in the cavernous House chamber as more than a dozen Republican lawmakers stood in defiance to the California legislator’s bid. 

Proceedings began with GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik nominating McCarthy, as expected, and Democrats‘ new No. 3 Pete Aguilar naming the 118th Congress‘ new Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Then, far-right Rep. Paul Gosar stood to nominate GOP Rep. Andy Biggs – one of the original five Republican lawmakers to lead opposition to McCarthy.

Over the course of the vote, however – done in alphabetical order – some members threw wild cards into the mix. Biggs got 10 of the rebel votes, while nine members voted for someone else.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) receives applause from fellow Representatives at the start of start of the 118th Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 3, 2023 in Washington, DC

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) receives applause from fellow Representatives at the start of start of the 118th Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol Building on January 3, 2023 in Washington, DC

McCarthy embraced New York GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik after she formally nominated him

McCarthy embraced New York GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik after she formally nominated him

GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert cast her vote for fellow GOP Rep. Jim Jordan, who himself voted for McCarthy and has said he does not want the job.

Freshman Republican Rep. Josh Brecheen cast his vote for Indiana Rep. Jim Banks, last year’s Republican Study Committee chairman. 

Another conservative member, Rep. Andy Harris, voted for Lee Zeldin – who left Congress at the end of last year to unsuccessfully run for governor of New York.

It had been reported earlier that conservatives would offer up Biggs as a spoiler to McCarthy to prevent him from reaching a majority threshold. 

Voting is done in rounds until a majority consensus is reached. 

The GOP’s public disputes over their next House Speaker has put their majority in the chamber off to a bumpy start. 

After both McCarthy and Jeffries were nominated, as expected, far-right Rep. Paul Gosar (pictured) stood to put conservative Rep. Andy Biggs' name into the mix

After both McCarthy and Jeffries were nominated, as expected, far-right Rep. Paul Gosar (pictured) stood to put conservative Rep. Andy Biggs’ name into the mix

Many of McCarthy's dissenters also voted for Rep. Jim Jordan for Speaker - despite the Ohio Republican claiming he did not want the job

Many of McCarthy’s dissenters also voted for Rep. Jim Jordan for Speaker – despite the Ohio Republican claiming he did not want the job

House Republicans held a closed-door meeting before the vote where McCarthy made a last-ditch appeal to his critics, telling them he’s ‘earned’ the right to the Speaker’s gavel.

His impassioned remarks did not sway his critics – namely, the five GOP lawmakers who swore to never support him – but it did seem to put allies’ minds at ease. 

Rep. Don Bacon, a moderate Republican who previously said he’d be open to working with Democrats to find an alternative Speaker if the McCarthy rebellion succeeded, told DailyMail.com after the meeting, ‘I think we’re not gonna get there after today.’ 

He said McCarthy ‘did a great job’ in his appeal for the gavel. 

McCarthy himself told reporters after the meeting that he could see ‘maybe 20’ members of his own caucus voting against him – at least on the first round.

‘I will always fight to put the American people first. Not a few individuals that want something for themselves. So we may have a battle on the floor,’ the GOP Leader said.

In the House chamber ahead of the Speaker vote, members were milling around socializing – many with young children in tow. 

McCarthy confidently schmoozed with new and old members, appearing unperturbed by his inter-party battle.

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