New Congress live updates: What's next after Kevin McCarthy's speakership win

McCarthy finally won the speaker's gavel after historic 15 rounds of voting.

ByLibby Cathey, Alexandra Hutzler, Tal Axelrod, and Benjamin Siegel
Last Updated: January 9, 2023, 8:14 AM EST

The House Republican leadership standoff ended early Saturday morning with Kevin McCarthy winning the speaker's gavel on a historic 15th vote.

It was the longest such election since 1859.

The drama stretched into a fourth day Friday with three more failed votes to decide on a speaker after 11 others over Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday -- the last one ending in a heated one-vote loss at the hands of holdout Matt Gaetz.

McCarthy had been stymied by a small group of hardliners demanding concessions to reshape how the House is run and legislation it prioritizes.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the story is developing. All times Eastern.
Jan 07, 2023, 11:06 AM EST

Most contentious speaker battle in over a century ends

The most contentious battle for House speaker in more than 160 years has officially come to an end.

Days after being called a "squatter" by some members of his own party -- McCarthy now has his name across the House speaker's office.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy gestures towards the newly installed nameplate at his office after he was sworn in as speaker of the 118th Congress in Washington, early Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023.
Matt Rourke/AP

"I will work with anyone and everyone who shares our passion to deliver a better future for our nation,” McCarthy pledged as he received the gavel early Saturday morning. “As a Congress, we can only operate if we cooperate. My door will be open. I'd like you to come by."

-ABC News' Rachel Scott

Jan 07, 2023, 1:43 AM EST

McCarthy takes oath of office, tells members 'I never give up'

"I may not know all of you, some of you are new," McCarthy said as he wrapped up his remarks. "But I hope one thing is clear after this week: I never give up."

"I make this promise, I'll never give up on you the American people," he added.

McCarthy then took his oath of office and is now the 55th speaker of the House of Representatives.

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy hits the gavel after he was elected Jan. 7, 2023 in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Jan 07, 2023, 1:29 AM EST

McCarthy after receiving the gavel: 'Now the hard work begins'

"That was easy, huh?" McCarthy joked as he received the speaker's gavel from Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. "I never thought we'd get up here."

As he listed his priorities for the 118th Congress, McCarthy said it was time for the Republican majority to be a check and provide a balance to President Joe Biden's policies.

"And now the hard work begins," he said. "What we do here today, next week, next month, next year will set the tone for everything that follows."

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy picks up the gavel as he begins to speak in the House chamber in Washington, Jan. 7, 2023.
Alex Brandon/AP

Jan 07, 2023, 1:16 AM EST

Jeffries hands McCarthy the speaker's gavel

At approximately 1:15 a.m. Saturday, McCarthy was handed the speaker's gavel from Democratic caucus leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries embraces newly elected Speaker of the US House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy after he was elected on the 15th ballot at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 7, 2023.
Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images

But before Jeffries turned it over to McCarthy, he ran through a list of Democratic accomplishments over the past two years and gave a final nod to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

"Pelosi will go down in history as the greatest speaker of all time," Jeffries said.

House Speaker-elect Rep. Kevin McCarthy listens as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks on the House floor at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 7, 2023.
Andrew Harnik/AP

Jeffries said this is a moment of "transition" for Congress, from a "year of accomplishment to a year of ambiguity."

"But we do extend our hand of partnership to you," he said.

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