Republicans endorse McCarthy for speaker in a crucial test for the

WASHINGTON — Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy won the support of a majority of his own caucus Tuesday in an internal party election to choose its nominee for Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The results of the secret ballot vote were 188 votes for McCarthy and 31 for his challenger, Rep. Andy Biggs, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus who challenged McCarthy from the right.

In order to formally become Speaker of the House in the new Congress that takes power in January, McCarthy will need to win at least 218 votes in the full House of Representatives.

Typically, the chosen nominee of the party that holds the majority would win this full House vote for Speaker, but it’s not guaranteed. If McCarthy’s Republican opponents band together and don’t vote at all, the he could come up short of 218.

Republicans have yet to officially win enough congressional races to clinch the majority, but on Tuesday morning it was difficult to see how Democrats could prevail in the districts where vote counting is still ongoing.

McCarthy has been preparing to assume the Speaker’s gavel since shortly after Election Day, when he announced “transition teams” made up of his allies to smooth the GOP takeover of the House majority.

McCarthy is well liked within his caucus, and he has aligned himself with former President Donald Trump, earning him credit with some on the far right of the GOP.