| Despite the GOP taking control of the U.S. House after last year's midterms, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican who served as minority leader for the GOP last session, was unable to get enough support from his colleagues to climb into the speaker's chair. McCarthy was blocked by 19 Republicans in his caucus, most of whom criticized him from his right, saying McCarthy as speaker would be a continuance of politics as usual in Washington. "I want the tools or I want the leadership to stop the swamp from running over the average American every single day," said Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican who voted against McCarthy. He complained about the rising national debt and the $1.7 trillion spending bill that Congress passed last month. "We can't keep doing this. I'm going to sit here until we figure out how to stop spending money we don't have. I don't want anymore empty promises." Three Texans, including Roy, were among the 19 Republicans who helped deny Kevin McCarthy the gavel in an initial vote Tuesday, the first time in 100 years that a House speaker wasn't elected on the first vote. McCarthy needed 218 votes but drew just 203. U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat, drew 212 votes. Read the full story here. | 
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