House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy was elected as House minority leader Wednesday afternoon, receiving more votes than Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan.
McCarthy received 159 votes, compared to Jordan’s 43 votes, making him the next minority leader of the House.
If Republicans had maintained control of the House, McCarthy hoped to become the next speaker, but some Republicans said they wanted to see Majority Whip Steve Scalise or Jordan in the position.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy participates in a weekly press conference with Republican House leaders at the U.S. Capitol. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“(W)e need to lay the groundwork to regain the majority so that we can continue working alongside President Trump to fulfill our promise to fundamentally change Washington. I helped build a majority from a deeper hole than this and I have what it takes to do it again,” McCarthy wrote in a letter to his Republican colleagues on Nov. 7, The Washington Examiner reported. “That is why I have decided to run for Republican Leader and humbly ask for your support.” (RELATED: Kevin McCarthy Announces Bid For Minority Leader)
As Democrats won the House, the party will now have to select a speaker. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi previously said she thinks she’ll be the next House speaker, despite comments from Democratic Reps. Kathleen Rice of New York, Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, Filemon Vela of Texas and Tim Ryan of Ohio, who have all called for Pelosi to relinquish her leadership role.
McCarthy has previously said he believes the idea of Pelosi becoming speaker again “should scare all Americans.”
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