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

As McCarthy's quest to become speaker of the House continues to fall short, some of his allies are exploring a radical idea: lowering the threshold needed to be elected.

Under current House rules, a candidate needs an outright majority of all members voting to be elected speaker. With 433 members voting so far -- and one member voting "present," which doesn't affect the total -- that means McCarthy has repeatedly fallen far short of the 217 currently needed to win a majority.

The rules, however, can be changed: With a simple majority vote, the House could decide to allow a speaker to be elected with a plurality, or whoever has the most votes when no one has a majority. This has happened before, but very rarely.

It's called the "nuclear option" because it would force anti-McCarthy voters to face a stark choice: vote for him or watch Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries get elected instead. After all, Jeffries has received 212 votes in every single round so far and the most McCarthy has received has been 203.

But would those 20 renegade Republicans continue to vote against McCarthy if doing so would result in electing a Democrat as speaker? Advocates of the option say the change would call the critics' bluff and force them to vote for McCarthy or take the blame for ceding control of the House to Democrats.

According to two McCarthy allies in the House, the idea is being discussed among House Republicans. They believe Democrats would support the rules change.

One influential Republican voice, however, told ABC News he opposes the idea.

"I know it is an idea that has been floating around," incoming House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said. "I'd be opposed it."

He added: "I know Hakeem would like, but I don't."

-ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl

While the State Department does not frequently weigh in on matters of domestic politics, spokesperson Ned Price on Wednesday afternoon directly addressed the tumult on Capitol Hill, painting a cheerier outlook than President Joe Biden did earlier.

Price was asked what message other countries around the world might take from the prolonged vote for House speaker -- the first in a century.

“Our message has never been that democracy is neat or that democracy is seamless in terms of its operations. But what we're seeing, what the world is seeing, are our democratic institutions at work,” Price said. “They are seeing our democracy at work.”

“Democracy isn't always without its complications. But when processes are followed, institutions are respected, ultimately the outcome is one that everyone can get behind.”

Reporters asked Price whether the redundant, and so far fruitless, votes in the House -- which is keeping the chamber in limbo -- might give the impression of an inefficient governing system and if the first failed speaker vote in 100 years was an indicator that U.S. democracy was weakening.

“Look, I'm not going to characterize the U.S. political system,” Price said. “I will just say that there is a process that is being hued to right now by elected lawmakers. That in itself is a testament to the functioning of democracy, even if that functioning may be taking just a little bit longer than it has in the past 100 years or so.”

-ABC News’ Shannon Crawford

ABC News’ Jay O’Brien caught up with Rep. Jimmy Gomez, D-Calif., outside of the House floor during the sixth round of votes for speaker -- but Gomez wasn’t alone.

He was holding, in a carrier on his chest, who ABC News Live anchor Kyra Phillips called “probably the most famous future member of Congress.”

Gomez had brought along his 4-month-old son Hodge for the votes on Tuesday and Wednesday; photos of the baby had already lit up social media.

“One of the things my wife and I wanted to do is make sure that he was, you know, personable, he got along with people and that he loved people,” Gomez said. “So we started making sure that he was used to it. And then he loved it. He loved being on the floor. Everybody was smiling at him, playing with him ... And I think he's gotten more votes for speaker than I have, maybe even Kevin McCarthy."

Gomez called his son “my legacy, and I think all kids are our legacy. So I realized I wanted to bring him to the [House] floor to have him witness history, but also to recognize that he is what we're fighting for. He represents the millions of kids that don't have the privilege to be on the floor.”

O’Brien noted how well behaved Hodge was in the bustling chamber. Hodge had no comment but seemed to bob his head in response.

Of the news of the day, Gomez said he does not believe any Democrats will break ranks to vote for McCarthy, who has so far failed to unify the GOP majority to vote for him as speaker.

With the Republican conference still divided between a pro-McCarthy majority and 20 anti-McCarthy members, the House has chosen to adjourn until 8 p.m.

The motion from Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., was adopted by voice vote, though Democrats appeared staunchly opposed to the break -- but did not call for a recorded vote.

Shortly before adjournment, McCarthy told reporters "we're gonna break in a little then go meet" when asked what was next after the sixth failed vote.