WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – After 4 days of voting, it took a 15th ballot to finally elect a Speaker of the House.
After a stunning turn of events Friday, Representative Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader, finally secured enough votes shortly after midnight to become Speaker of the House.
His victory followed persistent negotiations with far-right members of the Republican conference, who kept a win at bay until the 15th round of voting.
After the gavel exchange from Democractic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, McCarthy swore in the members present into the 118th Congress, which included North Country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik.
Following her swearing in, Stefanik sent out a statement saying: “I will work tirelessly to deliver real results for Upstate New York and the North Country. This Congress, we will work to create an economy that is strong, a nation that is safe, a future built on freedom, and a government accountable to the people.”
Stefanik will serve in Majority leadership as the House Republican Conference Chair.
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