Republican holdouts against Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., as House speaker began flipping to his camp in voting Friday as the result of the framework for a deal congressional sources close to the negotiations outlined to Newsmax congressional correspondent Kilmeny Duchardt.
The new agreement among House Republicans appeared to have broken the logjam in the brutal battle for speaker as 15 of the 20 holdouts have flipped. Voting just fell short in the 13th round. (A 14th vote is pending, and the House has adjourned until 10 p.m. Newsmax reports that Republicans believe they have the votes for McCarthy.)
The final tally in the 13th round left McCarthy tantalizing close to a majority with 214 votes. With a full House present, he would need 218 votes to win, but there were absences early Friday, starting at noon ET.
With the 432 present for the latest round, the magic number appeared to be 217.
Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., got 212 votes, while Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, got six votes.
It was not clear the deal would fully coalesce Friday or whether it would push McCarthy over the threshold of votes he needed for a House majority.
There were three members who did not vote in the 12th round earlier Friday:
Rep. David Trone, D-Md. — medical reasons, but he returned for the 13th round.
Rep.-elect Wesley Hunt, R-Texas – family reasons, but House GOP leadership expects him to return Friday night.
Rep Ken Buck, R-Colo. – He missed the noon vote, but he, too, will be back Friday night.
Both Hunt and Buck have voted for McCarthy in past rounds.
The 14 Republicans who flipped on the 12th round from holding out to vote for McCarthy: Dan Bishop, R-N.C.; Josh Brecheen, R-Okla.; Mike Cloud, R-Texas; Andrew Clyde, R-Ga.; Byron Donalds, R-Fla.; Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.; Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla.; Mary Miller, R-Ill., Ralph Norman, R-S.C.; Andy Ogles, R-Tenn.; Scott Perry, R-Pa.; Chip Roy, R-Texas, Keith Self, R-Texas; Victoria Spartz, R-Ind.
Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., flipped from holding out to voting for McCarthy in the 13th round.
"What we've agreed to in framework, will have to have in accountability," Roy told Newsmax. "We need to be able to continue to trust that we're going to be able to execute what we agreed to in framework."
Perry added, "If the framework blows up, I'm out."
Luna said: "We're doing this because we genuinely understand the offer on the table. ... It will be transformational and it will outlast every person in this room."
Key concessions in the framework for an agreement, sources said, include changing the motion to vacate the speakership from five votes to one.
Other key components include, according to Newsmax congressional correspondent Duchardt:
No promise of chairs or gavels to anyone.
Bills will go back through regular order.
Appointing a select committee by the speaker but housed under the judiciary to investigate the FBI and Department of Justice.
Bringing a congressional term-limits bill to the floor
for a vote.
Ending the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Introduction of a fair-tax bill.
Introduction of a border bill.
The sources said further concessions are unlikely, describing the latest offer as great for the holdouts and the American people.