Kevin McCarthy clinches House Speakership on 15th round of voting

Kevin McCarthy has been elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives, ending a tortuous week of wheeling and dealing on Capitol Hill that exposed sharp divisions in the Republican party and raised fresh questions about whether Congress can govern effectively in the years to come.

McCarthy was elected Speaker just after midnight on Saturday with all but six Republicans backing his bid. The six opposing Republicans voted “present” — a technicality that reduced the critical number of votes required for McCarthy to seize the Speaker’s gavel.