Suspended Animation: 20 Republicans Continue To Buck McCarthy Speakership

The House of Representatives came to a standstill on Tuesday as nearly 20 Republicans in the lower legislative chamber did not vote for GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy of California for speaker, ensuring the position couldn't be filled after the first vote.

Nineteen Republicans voted for other candidates to take over the House speakership, siphoning critical votes away from McCarthy as the Democrats voted en bloc for Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

The split resulted in neither McCarthy nor Jeffries having a majority vote to take the speakership, causing the House to grind to a halt and preventing each member from being sworn-in or do any official business for the first time in a century.