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Gone quiet · last update Oct 25, 2023 / Kevin McCarthy

The 2023 House speaker fights, from McCarthy's 15 ballots to Mike Johnson

Overview · reviewed October 31, 2026

In 2023 House Republicans twice fought over who should lead their narrow majority. In January Kevin McCarthy was elected speaker on a historic 15th ballot after a revolt by hard-right holdouts,[1] and in October he became the first speaker in US history to be ousted from the job, in a 216-210 vote forced by Rep. Matt Gaetz.[2][3] After three weeks without a speaker, Republicans elected Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana.[4]

Read the timeline

Follow this story to see new developments when you return.

After three weeks without a speaker, Republicans elected Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana.[4]

Coverage over time

Share of tracked outlets · monthly average of weekly shares (UTC)

Nov 2022: average weekly share 9% (left 3%, center 4%, right 3%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2022: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center under 1%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksJan 2023: average weekly share 17% (left 5%, center 7%, right 4%), from 5 of 5 weeksFeb 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJun 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksAug 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2023: average weekly share 4% (left 1%, center 1%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2023: average weekly share 42% (left 14%, center 16%, right 12%), from 5 of 5 weeksNov 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJan 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksFeb 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksMay 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksAug 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksSep 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 2 of 2 weeks, so far

LeftCenterRight

Each bar is the share of the outlets on our Left / Center / Right rating scale that we tracked publishing that week which carried reporting on this story, split by the outlets' ratings. Over more than two years each bar is a month: the average of that month's weekly shares, so the shape stays readable. The weekly table below keeps every week. We track more outlets now than in the archive, so a share keeps earlier and later weeks comparable. An outlet counts once a week however much it published, and outlets in one ownership or syndication group count as one on each side they appear on. A rating describes the outlet, not the report. A gap means no such reports were collected that week, not that nothing was reported anywhere. Weeks run Monday to Sunday in UTC, so a report published on a Sunday evening in US Eastern time counts in the next week. 9 more outlets off the scale (not rated, or outside the left-right graphs) also reported; they are not in this chart. See them.

Weekly counts, outlets and reports (13 weeks with coverage)
Outlets on the rating scale that carried this story each week, of the outlets tracked that week, newest first
Week of (UTC)LeftCenterRightOf trackedShareReceipts
Oct 23, 2023385238128 of 23854%
Oct 16, 2023424631119 of 24848%
Oct 9, 2023424726115 of 23749%
Oct 2, 2023505044144 of 24359%
Sep 25, 2023913830 of 22713%
Sep 11, 20232046 of 2422%
Jan 9, 2023918936 of 19818%
Jan 2, 2023405331124 of 19165%
Dec 26, 20221157 of 1634%
Nov 28, 20222046 of 1883%
Nov 21, 20220415 of 1663%
Nov 14, 202213211347 of 18625%
Nov 7, 20224239 of 1915%

Latest coverage

The newest reporting in this story's record.

  1. Oct 24, 2023 · first reported · Headline from Wfmy News 2

    Yes, Mike Johnson is the least experienced speaker of the House in 140 years

Background

McCarthy won his party's nomination in November 2022 but faced objections from his right flank,[5] and he offered his critics concessions to clinch the job.[6] The January vote stretched over days as the hard right put up its own nominee, Rep. Byron Donalds,[7][8] and the rules package the House adopted afterward was shaped partly by McCarthy's quest for the gavel.[9] Gaetz, a longtime critic, moved against him that fall, and Democrats declined to come to his rescue.[10]

Majority Leader Steve Scalise ran to succeed McCarthy but dropped out,[11][12] and Rep. Jim Jordan, backed by former President Donald Trump, lost a floor vote amid Republican defections.[13][14] Rep. Tom Emmer withdrew hours after he was nominated.[15] Johnson, who was picked the same day, had helped lead the effort to overturn the 2020 election.[16] The year's other fight under McCarthy is in the arc on the 2023 debt ceiling standoff.

Supporting stories (16)
  1. McCarthy elected House speaker after chaotic votes in late night session
  2. Kevin McCarthy ousted as House speaker: These 8 Republicans stood apart to remove him
  3. Gaetz ousted McCarthy. Now other Republicans want to come after him.
  4. Mike Johnson, a staunch Louisiana conservative, is elected House speaker as GOP moves past chaos
  5. McCarthy wins Republican nomination for House speaker, but grind ahead
  6. First on CNN: McCarthy proposes key concessions after House adjourns for second day without electing a speaker
  7. Who is Byron Donalds? The Republican Running Against McCarthy for House Speaker
  8. McCarthy fails for 3rd long day in GOP House speaker fight
  9. House Republicans pass rules package in key test for McCarthy
  10. Pelosi accuses interim House speaker of ordering her to give up office in Capitol
  11. Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan face a tense and divided GOP in House speaker fight
  12. GOP's Scalise ends his bid to become House speaker as Republican holdouts refuse to back the nominee
  13. Trump endorses Jim Jordan to succeed Kevin McCarthy as House speaker
  14. Jordan out as GOP’s nominee for speaker
  15. Third speaker of the House nominee Tom Emmer drops out
  16. New US House speaker tried to help overturn the 2020 election, raising concerns about the next one

The full record

Each date is when an update was first reported.

All 68 recorded updates

October 2023

  1. Mike Johnson, a staunch Louisiana conservative, is elected House speaker as GOP moves past chaosHeadline from Minneapolis Star Tribune · 119 outlets
  2. New US House speaker tried to help overturn the 2020 election, raising concerns about the next oneHeadline from NBC Los Angeles · 21 outlets
  3. Third speaker of the House nominee Tom Emmer drops outHeadline from NPR · 71 outlets
  4. Day 20 with no House speaker and no idea who will lead CongressHeadline from FOX 29 Philadelphia · 16 outlets
  5. Nine Republicans are vying to become the next House speaker. These are the candidatesHeadline from NBC10 Philadelphia · 3 outlets
  6. For the third time, Republicans will nominate a speaker candidate TuesdayHeadline from NBC4 Washington · 34 outlets
  7. These are the 9 House Republicans running for speakerHeadline from ABC 7 San Francisco · 8 outlets
  8. GOP's Jordan says he's still running for House gavel, but plan for a temporary speaker falls flatHeadline from WHEC Rochester · 6 outlets
  9. Washington in limbo as House marks 15th day without speakerHeadline from Wyoming Tribune Eagle · 8 outlets
  10. Republicans who voted against Jordan’s speakership bid report menacing calls and threats to their officesHeadline from Local News 8 · 9 outlets
  11. GOP lawmaker says she got death threats after voting against Jim Jordan in speaker’s raceHeadline from NBC News · 11 outlets
  12. The House is set to vote on a new speaker. Here's what to knowHeadline from Daily Journal · 6 outlets
  13. Jordan out as GOP’s nominee for speakerHeadline from Arkansas Democrat-Gazette · 111 outlets
  14. Georgia GOP Rep. Austin Scott announces bid for House speakerHeadline from Fox5 Atlanta · 13 outlets
  15. Some want to grant temporary House speaker more power as Republican gridlock stalls Congress - The Daily ReporterHeadline from Green Field Reporter · 11 outlets
  16. GOP's Jim Jordan is shoring up support and peeling off detractors ahead of a House speaker voteHeadline from MyNorthwest · 65 outlets
  17. GOP quickly eyes Trump-backed hardliner Jim Jordan as House speaker but not all Republicans back himHeadline from NBC New York · 9 outlets
  18. Republicans pick Jim Jordan as nominee for House speaker, putting job within the Trump ally's reachHeadline from KGW Portland · 39 outlets
  19. GOP's Scalise ends his bid to become House speaker as Republican holdouts refuse to back the nomineeHeadline from WMUR · 98 outlets
  20. Republicans divided on far-right move to remove Kevin McCarthy as House speaker, poll showsHeadline from FOX 29 Philadelphia · 3 outlets
  21. Republicans still struggle to select a new House Speaker after a week without leadershipHeadline from Fox2 Detroit · 11 outlets
  22. House speaker race: Republicans to select a candidate to replace McCarthy in closed-door voteHeadline from FOX 4 Dallas · 11 outlets
  23. GOP braces for messy fight over speakership as McCarthy doesn’t rule out a return to powerHeadline from ABC 17 Mid-Missouri · 5 outlets
  24. Why the crisis in Israel is putting pressure on GOP to act over vacant House speaker roleHeadline from The Conversation US · 9 outlets
  25. Kevin McCarthy denies reports that he's resigning from CongressHeadline from CBS News · 12 outlets

Coverage & sources

Read the reports, see how much was collected over time, or compare outlets by political leaning.

Coverage & sources →