Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz voted in the fourth ballot for House speaker, meaning she abstained.
That’s important because it lowers the threshold Kevin McCarthy needs to 217, but he’s nowhere near that.
She had supported McCarthy before, so her voting power does not bode well. When her name was first called, she did not vote. She voted to attend after speaking with Republican House members. Patrick McHenry, one of Kevin McCarthy’s deputies.
more background: Requires a majority of people present and voting to obtain The seat of the Speaker, usually 218 legislators. But if enough people skip voting or vote “present,” the number of votes needed for a majority could drop.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was elected in 2021 with 216 votes.
CNN’s Zachary B. Wolf contributed to this report.