EXCLUSIVE: McCarthy's path to victory in question, 7 solid holdouts now, per senior House staffer

The US House of Representatives assembled on Thursday to engage in the 7th vote for Speaker of the House. No candidate received enough votes to become speaker, and the vote went to its 8th round since Monday. Kevin McCarthy of California again did not have the votes.

There have been talks in the background of compromises being offered to quell the dissent in the party, a senior House staffer told The Post Millennial. These include three main points: bringing the number of votes needed to offer a motion to vacate the chair down to one vote from five, adding more Freedom Caucus members to the Rules Committee, and creating a balanced budget amendment.



Even with these compromises, the staffer said, "I don't know if it's going to be enough, I don't know where it's going. There were a lot of signs of progress last night for Kevin, but it doesn't seem like much as moved today."

"There are ongoing talks," the staffer told The Post Millennial, "but it's not sounding great for Kevin. I just don't know how it ends for him. There are seven very, very hard 'Nos' against him."

Since voting began on Monday, there have been at least 19 GOP House members voting against McCarthy, with votes cast for Andy Biggs, Byron Donalds, Jim Jordan, and one lone voter casting his "aye" for Donald Trump on Thursday.

"They need 16 of the hold outs," the staffer said.

Those 20 members are Andy Biggs, Dan Bishop, Lauren Boebert, Josh Brecheen, Michael Cloud, Andrew Clyde, Eli Crane, Byron Donalds, Matt Gaetz, Bob Good, Paul Gosar, Andy Harris, Anna Paulina Luna, Mary Miller, Ralph Norman, Andy Ogles, Scott Perry, Matt Rosendale, Chip Roy, and Keith Self.

To become Speaker, the candidate needed a majority of the votes from those present. After McCarthy lost the 7th vote, an 8th vote began. When it was finished, there was still no House Speaker, meaning the busines of the people's house could not move forward.

Republicans hold a slim marjority in that body with 222 members to the Democrats' 212, yet that majority party has not been able to elect a speaker.

Rep. John James of Michigan rose to nominate Kevin McCarthy for Speaker during the 7th vote, which was the 7th time that McCarthy has been nominated for Speaker since the opening of the 118th Congress on Monday. 

"We need to learn how to win," James said, going on to say that McCarthy was a "conservative fighter" with a 90 percent approval rating. Former President Donald Trump has also said publicly to the House GOP to "take the win."

Rep. Dan Bishop rose to nominate Byron Daniels for Speaker. During Wednesday's vote, Daniels received 20 votes, prohibiting McCarthy from securing enough votes for the nomination. During the 8th round of voting, Arizona's Andy Biggs rose to nominate Donalds. A 9th vote may go ahead on Thursday.

McCarthy needs 16 of those in the House GOP who are opposed to his leadership to come over to his side in order to gain the speakership. But according to the senior House staffer, it is highly questionable as to whether he will be able to sway them.