There will be another vote today. “The time it takes to elect a president,” says Kenneth Manusama, a US constitutional law specialist. “Until then, the House cannot and cannot do anything.”
division
The twenty people who don’t vote for McCarthy are far more conservative and supportive of Trump. If McCarthy is to win, he has to get those votes too. But at the same time he must also keep the more moderate Republicans who vote for him on the board.
The great division within the Republican party is clearly visible, Manusama says. “There is a big split on the course within the party.”
Democratic gain
If McCarthy fails to get enough votes, Democrats could theoretically win the presidency. If McCarthy’s 20 non-voters hold their ground, they could decide to vote for Democratic nominee Hakeem Jeffries. If that happens, it’s obviously very special, but it’s certainly possible.’
McCarthy needed former President Donald Trump today to call on his party members to vote for him. Trump called on Republicans on his social media platform Truth Social not to “let this big win turn into a huge and embarrassing defeat,” but to vote for McCarthy. It is surprising that Trump’s call is absolutely necessary. Also, the question is whether the twenty Republicans who vote against McCarthy will listen to Trump.