The new Congress gets to work: Will McCarthy be the new Speaker of the House?

The 118th U.S. Congress begins work Tuesday, and the focus will be on whether California Congressman Kevin McCarthy will get enough votes from fellow Republican lawmakers to become Speaker of the House.

McCarthy, 57, who has wanted to lead the chamber of 435 lawmakers for years, is doggedly close to winning the speaker’s seat, but can’t yet be entirely sure he will be able to secure a majority of 218 votes.

In the November election, Republicans won 222 seats in the House, while Democrats won only 213. Thus, Republicans would gain control of the House and the Speaker’s seat held by Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

As for the Senate, Democrats and Republicans each had 50 seats in the previous convocation, but Democrats gained a slight edge in the last election and will now have a majority of 51 votes.

A staunch conservative, McCarthy, received 188 votes in the Republican caucus meeting in November and then received additional support in his effort to win a majority of 218 votes to be elected speaker.

However, a group of far-right Republican congressmen, five or more, oppose McCarthy’s election as speaker, believing that he is not committed enough to the conservative cause.

They have vowed to vote against McCarthy, which may not give him the majority he needs, since all Democrats will almost certainly vote for new party leader Hakeem Jeffries, who represents New York State.

Over the past few weeks, McCarthy has spoken to a group of Republicans opposed to him more than once to gain their support.

He offered them several changes in the way the House works and appointments to committees where key bills are considered.

But less than 24 hours before Tuesday afternoon, when Congress opens, McCarthy’s bid for speaker hangs in the balance, though no one else has received significant support as an alternative.

There has not been a case in the last hundred years in which the Speaker of the House has not been elected on the first ballot, but such a precedent could happen on Tuesday.

The election for Speaker of the House takes place even before members are sworn in for a two-year term. Lawmakers will name their candidate for speaker.

If McCarthy does not get the necessary 218 votes (or fewer if some lawmakers abstain, reducing the required majority), there will be one or more more rounds of voting.

The Clerk of the House will conduct a roll call of all 435 members of the House until McCarthy or someone else gains a majority to become Speaker.