House Democrats Blast GOP 'Turmoil'

House Democratic leaders blasted the "turmoil" among Republicans ahead of the seventh vote for House Speaker.

At a press conference, House Democratic Conference Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday marks "day three of Republicans not being able to organize themselves in a manner that allows the Congress to move forward."

He said House Democrats are "ready, willing and able" to find common ground and get to work for the American people, but need "a willing partner" on the other side of the aisle.

"It's my hope that today, the House Republicans will stop the bickering, stop the backbiting and stop the backstabbing of each other so we can have the back of the American people," he said.

Jeffries consistently received 212 votes for House Speaker in unanimous Democratic support.

He said Democrats are simply asking Republicans to "get along with each other" so that House operations can begin.

"At the end of the day, all we are asking Republicans to do is figure out a way to organize themselves so that Congress can get together and do the business of the American people," he said.

Jeffries added that Republicans themselves have described what's going on in the House GOP Conference right now as "embarrassing, dysfunctional, dangerous and stupid."

He added that Congress is being "held hostage" by Republican dysfunction, preventing members-elect to operate amid "dangerous" times.

"We don't want a do-nothing Congress," he said. "But it appears that is what some Republicans want to bring to the American people."

House Democratic Whip-Elect Katherine Clark jokingly welcomed everyone to "Groundhog Day."

She said House Republicans are in "historic turmoil" and the inability to select a Speaker shows they are unable to organize, govern and lead.

"Years of blindly pursing power, currying the favor of special interest and bowing to election deniers has left the GOP in shambles," she said.

Clark added that Kevin McCarthy is being "held hostage" by his own ambitions because of the "dangerous members that he's enabled." She pointed to "extremists" such as Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert and Matt Gaetz, who she said are leading negotiations and whipping votes.

SOON: House Meets for Third Day of Voting

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives will reconvene in about one hour for a third day of voting to elect a new Speaker.

A seventh ballot is expected after no nominee, notably Rep. Kevin McCarthy, failed to receive the necessary votes to secure the Speakership in six rounds of voting. A small GOP faction, led by members of the House Freedom Caucus, continue opposing McCarthy's election. The group of 20 instead voted for Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida on Wednesday, taking away from the 218 votes McCarthy needed.

Meanwhile, Democrats remain united behind their candidate Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, who topped McCarthy with 212 votes in three different rounds Wednesday.

The House is set to reconvene at 11:50 a.m. ET, watch live here.

Boebert Says She Might Nominate Trump

After the House failed to elect a Speaker for the sixth time, the small GOP faction of McCarthy defectors remains steadfast in their opposition.

Fox News' Sean Hannity grilled Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert on whether her faction has the votes to continue challenging McCarthy.

When Boebert nominated an alternative House Speaker nominee on the House floor Wednesday, she said former President Donald Trump should tell McCarthy, who he supports as Speaker, that he doesn't have the votes to continue.

"Let me turn the tables, Kevin McCarthy has 202 votes your side has 20. Isn't it time for you and your side to pack it in?" Hannity asked.

Boebert said there are several McCarthy supporters who are "cheering" her side on, noting, "there are more for us than are against us and they are waiting for Kevin to cave."

She doubled down that McCarthy "doesn't have the votes" to become Speaker, adding that her faction has been trying to negotiate for months, but McCarthy "didn't want to listen to us until his disappointing midterms."

"We all want a unified party but this isn't chaos, it's a functioning constitutional republic," she said, adding Republicans will be "stronger and better prepared to lead" when this vote is over.

Later, Hannity asked Boebert who her final choice for House Speaker is and if she will "follow [her] own advice" and withdraw if she can't get more than 30 votes.

Boebert said there are "names being floated around" and suggested she might even nominate Donald Trump as Speaker.

Hannity scoffed as her answer, asking if "this is a game show."

"Like we're gonna pick [Representative] Jim Jordan one day, Donalds the other day Trump the next day?" he asked.

Boebert said she will never support McCarthy and promised that her faction will continue to nominate alternatives, as MCarthy has not made enough concessions to Freedom Caucus members.

"If I am the last person standing, I will not [vote for McCarthy]," she said, adding that the House GOP needs to find a "consensus candidate."

McCarthy Says 'No Deal Yet' Ahead of Vote

As the House of Representatives heads into the third day of the House Speaker election, Representative Kevin McCarthy remains confident that he will secure the necessary votes.

McCarthy lost six straight votes over the last two days, failing to win over a GOP faction of about 20 representatives who continue to vote against him. Republican leaders worked in between votes to negotiate deals with those who backed Florida Representative Byron Donalds.

McCarthy has already agreed on many of the Freedom Caucus' rules change demands, but more talks are needed to come to a consensus.

"There's a lot of members in the chamber who want to have serious conversations about how we can bring this all to a close and elect a Speaker," Donalds said Wednesday.

Before the House adjourned for the night Wednesday, McCarthy told reporters there was "no deal yet" but "a lot of progress" had been made among the caucus.

Pennsylvania Republican Scott Perry, the Chairman of the Freedom Caucus, said the latest round of talks was "productive," while Freedom Caucus member Chip Roy of Texas said he is "open to whatever will give me the power to defend my constituents against this godforsaken city."

There are some "GOP rebels" who McCarthy may never win over.

"I'm ready to vote all night, all week, all month and never for that person," said Florida Republican Matt Gaetz.

South Carolina Republican Ralph Norman said the faction has "no exit strategy."

"There's nothing he can give me or any of our members that's going to be a magic pill," Norman said. "We're here to vet a Speaker. Vet the person third in line for the Presidency and that's a good thing."

After the sixth vote, McCarthy told reporters that his strategy is to work through it, get everyone together and solve our problems.

He added that he is "very confident" that he can win the 218 votes needed to become Speaker.

"I've never seen a body when 10 percent is going to control the 90 percent, it just doesn't happen that way."

McCarthy Will Never Get 218 Votes, Davidson Says

Ohio Republican Rep. Warren Davidson, who is backing Kevin McCarthy's weakened bid for House Speaker, has conceded that the California Republican may never pass the 218 vote threshold.

McCarthy, a former favorite for the role, has not managed to gain enough votes to be elected, despite six attempts. There are 222 Republicans in the House and the threshold to elect McCarthy as House Speaker is 218.

"The reality is, there are some people who, in their estimation, there's no way they're going to be able to support Kevin McCarthy," Davidson told CNN on Thursday morning.

"I think the number that will never vote for Kevin McCarthy is more than four," he added, signalling that he will not pass the threshold of 218.

The 212 House Democrats are not voting for McCarthy, who is a Republican.

Davidson is also a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, which will meet on Thursday morning to discuss whether any concessions will convince the rebels to throw their weight behind McCarthy.

Trump in the Running for House Speaker – Bookmaker

BetOnline has provided odds as to who will be the next House Speaker, and former President Donald Trump is in the running.

The favorites to win are Kevin McCarthy and Steve Scalise, who are tied at 5-4. Trump comes in at 33-1.

Here are the full odds:

David Axelrod Slams McCarthy's House Speaker Bid

David Axelrod, former advisor to then-President Barack Obama, gave a scathing assessment of McCarthy's stalled bid to be House Speaker.

Axelrod, who founded the non-partisan University of Chicago Institute of Politics (IOP), tweeted on Thursday morning: "What else is there for McCarthy to give?!? His car? His coat? His first born? The guy has folded like a cheap suit and the answer, so far, continues to be "Thanks, but no thanks!"

Axelrod was Obama's chief strategist for the Democrat's former presidential campaigns.

After six attempts, McCarthy has failed to secure enough votes to become the next House Speaker, despite a GOP-controlled House. The House of Representatives will reconvene at noon today.

Rebel Republicans Reject Trump's Intervention

Defiant Republicans who have a history of backing former President Donald Trump, snubbed his request for them to vote for Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to be the next Speaker of the House.

Trump waded into the debate on Wednesday after favorite McCarthy had failed to win election in a Republican-controlled House two days in a row. The former president rallied behind McCarthy and encouraged the GOP to avoid an "EMBARASSING DEFEAT" in the House.

Among the dissidents on Wednesday that did not take Trump's advice were Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Matt Gaetz (R-FL).

In a statement to Fox News, Gaetz said that the former president's intervention did not change his decision to not support McCarthy.

"Sad!" Gaetz said, in a way of seemingly mocking Trump. "This changes neither my view of McCarthy, nor Trump, nor my vote."

Meanwhile, Boebert told the chamber on Wednesday that Trump had spoken to her and other defectors to tell them to "knock it off." But she said that Trump should instead tell McCarthy "it's time to withdraw."

Elon Musk Backs Kevin McCarthy

Elon Musk has weighed in on the chaos over electing a new Speaker of the House. In a tweet on Thursday morning, the billionaire businessman said simply: "Kevin McCarthy should be Speaker."

It puts Musk on the side of Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who have been backing McCarthy, as opposed to representatives like Lauren Boebert and Matt Gaetz, whose opposition to McCarthy's election has held up an election of a Speaker for two days now.

House to Return at Noon

The U.S. House of Representatives will return today at 12 p.m. ET to make continued attempts at nominating a Speaker.

It comes after several votes on Tuesday and Wednesday failed to get Rep. Kevin McCarthy over the line of the 218 votes needed.

The House adjourned after 8 p.m. Wednesday evening, and after a movement from Rep. Tom Cole, it was agreed to reconvene at noon on Thursday.