Before McCarthy finally clinched the speakership, the House turned into a near-brawl late Friday as Matt Gaetz delivered a blow denying him on the 14th vote
In a scene seemingly more familiar to a developing world legislature, the House turned into a near-brawl late Friday after another failed vote to elect a speaker as Republicans held back one of their most senior members from a potential clash with Matt Gaetz of Florida.
Gaetz had just delivered the fatal last vote that left California’s Kevin McCarthy one vote shy of the bare majority he needed to win the gavel, after the flamboyant Republican had spent the long roll call maneuvering to make himself the last vote that mattered.
Instead of the anticipated victory, on the painstakingly long trek through 14 ballots, Gaetz voted present. Some Republicans thought that was enough to deliver a victory, since Gaetz had previously been voting for other conservative alternatives, but McCarthy knew right away that something was wrong.
He had 216 votes out of 432 cast — Gaetz and Lauren Boebert’s present votes essentially did not count in the overall tally — not enough for a majority, so McCarthy darted up the center aisle toward Gaetz and Boebert.
But quickly the GOP leader and his closest allies, including Patrick T. McHenry of North Carolina, homed in on Gaetz. Other Republicans came around as well, clearly trying to convince Gaetz to switch his vote before the clerk and vote counters officially counted up the ballots and gaveled the vote shut.
Then Mike Rogers of Alabama, who expects to become chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, on which Gaetz serves, stormed toward the huddle, enraged. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), a member of the leadership, walked with Rogers, aware of how angry he was.
Video and pictures from photographers show Rogers beginning to yell at Gaetz, when Hudson grabbed Rogers, including across his mouth, and physically yanked him back and sent him away from the group.
A gasp went up across the entire House chamber, as lawmakers realized how close they were to something that could have turned into a physical altercation.
Rogers’s outburst stemmed from an offer floated by GOP leadership that would give Gaetz the gavel of one of his subcommittees, according to two people familiar with the dynamics. According to a fellow lawmaker, Rogers believed there are more qualified members to take on the role.
