New Congress live updates: What's next after Kevin McCarthy's speakership win

McCarthy finally won the speaker's gavel after historic 15 rounds of voting.

ByLibby Cathey, Alexandra Hutzler, Tal Axelrod, and Benjamin Siegel
Last Updated: January 9, 2023, 8:14 AM EST

The House Republican leadership standoff ended early Saturday morning with Kevin McCarthy winning the speaker's gavel on a historic 15th vote.

It was the longest such election since 1859.

The drama stretched into a fourth day Friday with three more failed votes to decide on a speaker after 11 others over Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday -- the last one ending in a heated one-vote loss at the hands of holdout Matt Gaetz.

McCarthy had been stymied by a small group of hardliners demanding concessions to reshape how the House is run and legislation it prioritizes.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the story is developing. All times Eastern.
Jan 03, 2023, 8:36 AM EST

McCarthy’s rise from California politics to GOP leader

Kevin McCarthy began his career as a staffer to then-Rep. Bill Thomas before chairing the California Young Republicans and later the Young Republican National Federation.

He was first elected to office in 2002, serving in the California state Assembly until 2007, when was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. At the time, he was dubbed one of the “young guns” of the next generation of conservative leadership.

House Minority Leader U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy arrives for an address by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky during a joint meeting of Congress in the House Chamber of the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 21, 2022, in Washington, D.C.
Win McNamee/Getty Images

McCarthy tried to become speaker in 2015 but his chance evaporated after resistance from the same kind of conservatives who are trying to block his path Tuesday. When Democrats took control of the House in 2018, McCarthy was elected House minority leader.

Read more about McCarthy’s background here.

Jan 03, 2023, 8:26 AM EST

McCarthy's bid for speaker unclear as new Congress set to begin

Rep. Kevin McCarthy's bid to become the next speaker of the House is still clouded in uncertainty as lawmakers head to Capitol Hill for the first day of the 118th Congress.

McCarthy and his staffers spent the day Monday setting up the speaker's office but he may have to move his belongings out if he fails to clinch the votes needed to secure the position.

A few dozen members piled into McCarthy's office throughout the day Monday to go over last-minute strategy. ABC News spotted three McCarthy critics during the afternoon meeting: Reps. Matt Gaetz, Lauren Boebert, and Scott Perry.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a McCarthy supporter, told ABC News Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott, "the problem is the people need to realize the art of the deal. They are all Trump supporters, and you can't be successful if you're not willing to take the wins when you get them" when asked about those in her party who are trying to tank McCarthy's bid.

Rep. Jim Jordan, whose name has been floated around as a potential speaker candidate, said he believes McCarthy "can get there."

McCarthy, however, didn't directly answer reporter's questions about how the vote could go, telling them, "I hope you all have a very nice New Year's" as he exited the Capitol on Monday night.

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa, Rachel Scott and Gabe Ferris

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