BREAKING: Kevin McCarthy elected House speaker Saturday shortly after midnight on the 15th ballot. / via NBCNews
Julie Tsirkin
"I think you saw we made some very good progress. We’ll come back tonight. I think at that time we’ll have the votes to finish this once and for all," the California Republican told reporters. Second, it overhauls the process of “spending and how we allocate the taxpayers’ money” with “broad changes,” he said.
McCarthy held on to the 14 Republican votes that had switched to him in the 12th round of voting, and added one other — Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland. This brings the number of GOP defectors who have cast votes for McCarthy so far on Friday to 14. Rep. Victoria Spartz, who voted present in some earlier rounds, also voted for McCarthy during the 12th and 13th rounds on Friday.Democrat who missed Friday's first vote for surgery is back at the CapitolKyle StewartScott Perry said he switched his vote to Kevin McCarthy after the GOP leader agreed to certain changes Perry was seeking.
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