Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) was elected speaker of the House early Saturday morning after four days and 15 ballots, resuscitating a chamber that had been paralyzed as it endured the longest struggle to elect a leader since before the Civil War.
McCarthy’s long-delayed triumph marks the high point of a congressional career he began as a staffer for former Rep. Bill Thomas more than three decades ago.
But the Republican leader’s victory came at a price. To secure the votes required to succeed fellow Californian Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) as speaker, McCarthy had to agree to compromises that dramatically weaken the power of the post.
The deals McCarthy struck with a group of fewer than two dozen hard-line Republicans will empower the far right of his party ahead of a congressional term that promises contentious battles over funding the federal government and increasing the debt ceiling.
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Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) is congratulated by other members of Congress in the House chamber after his election as speaker early Saturday morning.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), left, speaks to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) and others Friday after again declining to support the GOP leader.
(Alex Brandon / Associated Press)
Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), left, prevents Rep. Mike D. Rogers (R-Ala.) from approaching Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) during the 14th round of voting Friday.
(Andrew Harnik / Associated Press)
Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), left, restrains Rep. Mike D. Rogers (R-Ala.) in the House chamber Friday.
(Andrew Harnik / Associated Press)
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) flexes his arm alongside Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) after getting into an argument with Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) in the House chamber during the fourth day of elections for speaker of the House.
(Win McNamee / Getty Images)
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), left, speaks to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) on the House floor Friday night.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
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Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) points to the newly installed nameplate at his office after he was sworn in as speaker of the 118th Congress in Washington early Saturday.
(Jose Luis Magana / Associated Press)
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) holds a phone with the initials “DT” in the House chamber.
(Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)
Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) holds up a tally sheet in the House chamber as Republican Kevin McCarthy is elected speaker.
(Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images)
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy receives the gavel from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) after the vote early Saturday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
McCarthy celebrates winning the speakership.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
McCarthy and Jeffries embrace after their ascension as their respective party leaders in the House.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
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McCarthy presides over the swearing-in of members of the 118th House of Representatives early Saturday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
McCarthy speaks to reporters in National Statuary Hall in the Capitol on Saturday.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
McCarthy gets a hug from Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) after winning the House speakership.
(Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times)
To secure enough votes, McCarthy agreed to compromises that dramatically weaken the power of the post.
Kent Nishimura is a former staff photographer with the Los Angeles Times, based in Washington, D.C. Born in Taiwan, Nishimura immigrated to the United States, grew up in Hawaii and is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His work has been recognized by Pictures of the Year International, the National Headliner Awards, the White House News Photographers Assn. and the National Press Photographers Assn., among others. He has worked on staff at newspapers across the United States and freelanced for many national and international publications before joining The Times in 2017.
