Today in the afternoon, Texas Republican U.S. Rep. Chip Roy nominated fellow Republican U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida to be the next speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Roy, who had previously supported U.S. Rep. Jim Jordans for speaker, stated that “they want a new face, vision, and leadership, and I believe that new face, vision, and leadership is Byron Donalds.”
Because Jordan didn’t run for speaker, as highlighted by U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), his early endorsement was difficult to support.
US Representative Kevin McCarthy (R-Ca.) received Jordan’s support for the position.
In order to replace McCarthy, the right-leaning faction of the House Republican caucus suddenly seemed poised to choose Donalds, a candidate who had the support of Donald J. Trump rather than Jordan.
Republican supporters of McCarthy, U.S. Rep.-elect Tom Kean, Jr. and U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, sat behind Roy and listened as the Texan continued to suggest another candidate.
Both New Jerseyans stood up and cheered when Roy quoted Martin Luther King Jr. and said that one should evaluate a person by their character, not by the colour of their skin, when he suggested that Donalds, a black candidate, run for office.
McCarthy could not afford to lose four votes, so when Donalds (seen below with Trump) garnered seven votes early on the fourth ballot, it looked that McCarthy would lose the election for a fourth time in a row.
McCarthy lost yet another vote in the fourth and final round of voting.
201 McCarthy
212 Jeffries
20 Donalds
1st Present
On the first two ballots, Donalds supported McCarthy; but, on the third, he switched his support to Jordan, putting McCarthy’s bid for speaker yet another vote out of reach.