House paralyzed as Kevin McCarthy fails to win speakership on fifth vote

Republican leader’s prospects dim as he continues to fall short on the second day of voting

The House was paralyzed further on Wednesday, as Republican leader Kevin McCarthy failed again to win the speakership on a fifth ballot that saw his opposition deepened and left no clear path forward to end the stalemate.

“It looks messy,” said Congressman Mike Gallagher, a Republican of Wisconsin, in a speech nominating McCarthy for Speaker on Wednesday, “but democracy is messy.”