McCarthy Moves Into Speaker’s Office as Future Remains Unsure

Kevin McCarthy is betting on himself in a big way.

With hours to go until Congress holds its leadership elections, Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is already moving into the Speaker’s suite as he scrambles to secure the necessary votes to win.

Sharing a video of a man carting a stack of blue containers in what appeared to be the U.S. Capitol, NBC News’ Haley Talbot reported McCarthy “has moved into” the suite of offices and will have to move all his stuff back out if he loses the vote Tuesday.

If no candidate wins a majority of votes on the first ballot, it will be the first time in a century that the House has gone to multiple votes for Speaker. With 222 Republicans to 212 Democrats, McCarthy can afford to lose just four votes, assuming every member votes for a candidate.

McCarthy won the House GOP Speaker nomination with 188 votes, another 31 went to Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., and five voted for other candidates. 

The 118th Congress kicks off at noon. After a prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum call, the House will move straight into Speaker nomination speeches and a vote on who will hold the gavel.

Five House Republicans have strongly indicated they will not vote for McCarthy, and several more have withheld support for him. On Tuesday, the influential conservative organization Club for Growth urged lawmakers to oppose McCarthy for Speaker unless he makes a number of concessions.

The organization said in a statement on Monday that representatives should vote for a Speaker who will provide “transformational reforms” to the House, establish a “pro-growth” agenda and restore the individual rights and powers of rank-and-file members. 

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