22:33 - Source: CNN
Hear Kevin McCarthy's first speech as House speaker
CNN  — 

Kevin McCarthy was elected House speaker in the early hours of Saturday morning – a major victory for the California Republican that elevates him to a powerful position leading the GOP majority in the chamber and an outcome that followed days of painstaking negotiations and failed votes.

To secure the gavel, McCarthy had to chip away at opposition from a bloc of hardline conservatives in what became the longest contest in 164 years. To win over critics, McCarthy and his allies made a series of concessions to conservatives – a move that frustrated moderates concerned the concessions may make it harder for the new GOP majority to effectively govern.

As Republicans turn their attention to implementing their agenda, the struggle McCarthy faced to lock down votes may serve as a preview of the kind of challenges he will face in trying to unite his members in the future. The deal-making McCarthy engaged in also appears poised to leave him with a weaker hand to play in his new position of authority, though the California Republican has disputed that notion.

The speaker election unfolded over a series of days – beginning on the first day of the 118th Congress – and highlighted divides between conservatives and moderates. The final hours before McCarthy was elected were punctuated with chaotic and tense moments on the House floor with lawmakers on the edge of their seats waiting to see how a handful of remaining holdouts would vote.

A number of top Republicans expressed confidence that McCarthy could win in the 14th round of voting, but ultimately he fell just short. That outcome threw the House into disarray and prompted Republicans to move to adjourn. At the last moment, however, Republicans switched their votes to be able to instead move to a 15th ballot – and in that round of voting, McCarthy finally won.

01:52 - Source: CNN
McCarthy explains tense House floor discussion with Gaetz

McCarthy picks up key support amid concessions

In a major shift, McCarthy and his allies successfully flipped more than a dozen GOP votes into his column Friday afternoon – the first sign of serious momentum in support of his speaker bid after a series of failed votes over the course of multiple days.

Here is a list of key concessions and promises McCarthy and his allies have made over the course of the negotiations, based on CNN reporting:

  • Any member can call for a motion to vacate the speaker’s chair – this is significant because it would make it much easier than it is currently to trigger what is effectively a no confidence vote in the speaker. Conservatives pushed hard for this, while moderates are worried it will weaken McCarthy’s hand.
  • A McCarthy-aligned super PAC agreed to not play in open Republican primaries in safe seats
  • The House will hold votes on key conservative bills, including a balanced budget amendment, congressional term limits and border security
  • Efforts to raise the nation’s debt ceiling must be paired with spending cuts. This could become a major issue in the future when it is time to raise the debt limit to avoid a catastrophic default because Democrats in the Senate and the White House would likely oppose demands for spending cuts
  • Move 12 appropriations bills individually. Instead of passing separate bills to fund government operations, Congress frequently passes a massive year-end spending package known as an “omnibus” that rolls everything into one bill. Conservatives rail against this, arguing that it evades oversight and allows lawmakers to stick in extraneous pet projects.
  • More Freedom Caucus representation on committees, including the powerful House Rules Committee
  • Cap discretionary spending at fiscal 2022 levels, which would amount to lower levels for defense and domestic programs
  • Seventy-two hours to review bills before they come to floor
  • Give members the ability to offer more amendments on the House floor
  • Create an investigative committee to probe the “weaponization” of the federal government
  • Restore the Holman rule, which can be used to reduce the salary of government officials
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Kevin McCarthy celebrates with the gavel after being elected speaker of the House of Representatives on Saturday, January 7.
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McCarthy calls his mom after being elected speaker on Saturday.
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McCarthy swears in members of the House on Saturday.
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A worker replaces a sign over McCarthy's office on Saturday.
Andrew Harnik/AP
In his first speech as House speaker, McCarthy told his colleagues, "Now the hard work begins." He also said: "As speaker of the House, my ultimate responsibility is not to my party, my conference, or even our Congress. My responsibility, our responsibility, is to our country."
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McCarthy hugs House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, the first Black lawmaker to lead a party in Congress.
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Jeffries speaks from the dais as he prepares to hand the gavel to McCarthy on Saturday.
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McCarthy shakes hands with his predecessor, Nancy Pelosi, after being elected Speaker of the House on Saturday.
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McCarthy is congratulated after being elected speaker.
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US Rep. Bryan Steil, a Republican from Wisconsin, holds up the tally sheet after the deciding vote Saturday.
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The votes are tallied on the 15th and deciding ballot.
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A girl in the House chamber watches a motion to adjourn vote that failed Friday night.
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US Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida, points at McCarthy after McCarthy confronted him over his "present" vote on the 14th ballot Friday.
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US Rep. Richard Hudson, a Republican from North Carolina, pulls back Rep. Mike Rogers, a Republican from Alabama, during McCarthy's tense exchange with Gaetz.
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Congressional staffers watch the final minutes of the 14th vote Friday night.
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US Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, a Republican from Georgia, holds a phone with the initials "DT" on the screen on Friday night. Her spokesman confirmed it was former President Donald Trump on the phone.
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McCarthy reacts after losing the 14th vote.
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Gaetz arrives to the House chamber on Friday.
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Four of the Republican holdouts who flipped their support to McCarthy on Friday -- from left, Byron Donalds, Dan Bishop, Andy Ogles and Chip Roy -- talk to the media after a vote.
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Television reporters prepare to do their stand-ups from the Capitol on Friday.
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US Rep. Paul Gosar, a Republican from Arizona, casts his vote on a motion to adjourn until Friday night.
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Republican House members who previously voted against McCarthy speak to the media Friday after flipping their votes in his favor.
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Bishop, who had previously voted against McCarthy but backed him Friday, talks to fellow GOP Rep. Mary Miller and Rep.-elect Anna Paulina Luna.
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Reporters work in the press gallery that overlooks the House chamber on Friday.
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McCarthy leaves the House chamber on Friday.
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US Rep. Andy Harris, a Republican from Maryland, was the 15th GOP holdout to switch to McCarthy on Friday.
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US Rep. Victoria Spartz, a Republican from Indiana, prepares for a television interview. She was among those who flipped to McCarthy on Friday.
Alex Brandon/AP
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries talk during a vote on Friday.
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House members read a printed news article inside the chamber on Friday.
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Gosar, center left, and Gaetz talk near the back of the House chamber on Friday. Gosar flipped to McCarthy at this vote. Gaetz voted against McCarthy.
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US Rep. Mike Bost, a Republican from Illinois, yells at Gaetz while Gaetz was speaking on Friday.
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Republican members walk out of the chamber as Gaetz nominates Rep. Jim Jordan on Friday.
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US Rep. Clay Higgins puts a Bible on Clyde's back as he votes for McCarthy on Friday.
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McCarthy leaves a private meeting room off the House floor as he negotiates with lawmakers in his own party on Thursday.
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A board displays the vote count on a motion to adjourn on Thursday evening. The House voted to adjourn until noon on Friday.
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US Rep. Nancy Mace, a Democrat from New York, holds a dog as she casts her vote on a motion to adjourn on Thursday.
Alex Brandon/AP
Democrats yell "no" in unison to Thursday's motion to adjourn.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
McCarthy stands alone at the back of the House chamber on Thursday after the 10th failed vote for House speaker.
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US Rep. Byron Donalds, a Republican from Florida who had been receiving speakership votes, heads to the office of Majority Whip Tom Emmer for continued negotiations on Thursday.
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A tally sheet of votes is seen in the House chamber on Thursday.
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A live video feed of the House chamber is shown in the Capitol's Statuary Hall on Thursday.
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US Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a Republican from New Jersey, rubs his temples before the 10th vote.
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Gaetz, left, and Jeffries, right, speak with other members of the House on Thursday.
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The Capitol is lit up on Thursday evening.
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House clerk Cheryl Johnson receives a standing ovation in the House chamber on Thursday.
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Shadows of lawmakers are cast on the House chamber wall on Thursday.
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Pelosi talks to fellow lawmakers on Thursday.
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US Rep. Scott Perry, a Republican from Pennsylvania, is interviewed on Thursday. Perry said he needed more changes before he could vote for McCarthy.
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Gaetz applauds during one of Thursday's votes. Gaetz has been one of the Republicans voting against McCarthy, and on Thursday he even cast votes for former President Donald Trump. He told CNN Thursday that the vote for speakership can end in two ways: "Either Kevin McCarthy withdraws from the race, or we construct a straitjacket that he is unable to evade."
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US Rep. Lauren Boebert, another Republican opposing McCarthy, delivers remarks on Thursday. She threw Rep. Kevin Hern's name into the ring, calling him "a true leader" who can unify the conference.
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McCarthy looks at his phone ahead of the ninth round of voting.
Julio Cortez/AP
US Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene alks away after giving a television interview at the Capitol on Thursday.
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McCarthy, left, talks with US Rep. Andrew Clyde after the failed seventh vote. Clyde, from Georgia, was one of the Republicans who initially voted against McCarthy getting the speakership.
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Jeffries and others recite the Pledge of Allegiance before the start of voting on Thursday.
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US Rep. John James, a Republican from Michigan, nominated McCarthy for the seventh vote. James made a plea for unity in his nomination speech, saying, the "issues that divide us today are much less severe that they were in 1856; in fact, there's far more that unite us, than divide us, regardless of our political party of ideology."
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US Rep. Clay Higgins, a Republican from Louisiana, prays in the House chamber on Thursday.
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McCarthy speaks with members of the media as he leaves the House chamber on Wednesday.
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Reporters in the press gallery look at results of the vote to adjourn on Wednesday.
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Vote results are displayed on a wall in the House chamber on Wednesday.
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Members of the House Republican caucus, including McCarthy, gather to negotiate Wednesday in the Capitol office of Republican Whip Tom Emmer.
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McCarthy talks to colleagues inside the House chamber on Wednesday.
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The House holds its second vote Wednesday -- its fifth of the week.
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US Rep. Jerry Nadler, a Democrat from New York, reads a book in the House chamber on Wednesday.
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Gaetz passionately addresses other conservatives on the House floor after Wednesday's first failed vote.
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Members of the House have discussions inside the chamber on Wednesday.
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US Rep. Kat Cammack, a Republican from Florida, nominated McCarthy for the sixth vote. In her nomination, Cammack acknowledged the stalemate, calling her speech "Groundhog Day, again."
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House Clerk Cheryl Johnson looks over vote totals Wednesday.
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McCarthy is seen on the House floor during a vote Wednesday.
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Donalds speaks to the media on the House steps Wednesday. Donalds told CNN that the chief demand was to allow just one member to call for a vote seeking a speaker's ouster.
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McCarthy is reflected on a podium Wednesday.
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Jeffries, a Democrat from New York who will become the first Black lawmaker to lead a party in Congress, watches Rep. Katherine Clark, a Democrat from Massachusetts, have a conversation on Wednesday.
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Boebert stands next to Donalds as she casts a vote for him on Wednesday. In the three rounds of voting on Wednesday, 20 Republicans voted for Donalds.
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Roll is called on the House floor before voting began on Wednesday.
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Pelosi, seen in the foreground, talks to reporters as she arrives at the Capitol on Wednesday. Pelosi told CNN that House of Representatives members should be sworn in — even if a speaker is not chosen yet — so their families can witness the moment and not have to wait around the Capitol all day.
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House staff wheel a large cart of pizzas through Statuary Hall late on Tuesday night. McCarthy continued to negotiate Tuesday night, sources said, in an effort to get to 218 votes.
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McCarthy, left, and an aide wait for a final tally of votes on Tuesday.
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US Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican from Texas, delivers remarks on the House floor on Tuesday. Roy, one of the Republicans who voted against McCarthy, was nominating Rep. Jim Jordan for the speakership. "This is not personal," Roy said. "This is about the future of this country."
Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Votes are tallied in the House chamber on Tuesday. The tally for the first ballot was 203 for McCarthy, with 19 Republicans voting for other candidates. The tally for the second ballot was 203 votes for McCarthy and 19 votes for Jordan. The third vote was 202 for McCarthy and 20 for Jordan. To be elected speaker, a candidate needs to win a majority of members who vote for a specific person on the House floor. That amounts to 218 votes if no member skips the vote or votes "present."
Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP
Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaks to GOP Reps. Matt Gaetz and Paul Gosar on the House floor. Ocasio-Cortez spokesperson Lauren Hitt told CNN that Gosar was asking Ocasio-Cortez if any Democrats were planning to leave the floor or vote present so McCarthy could have a lower threshold, something that hardliners against McCarthy do not want. Ocasio-Cortez, according to Hitt, told Gosar that there was no plan to do that. Last year, the House voted to censure Gosar and remove him from committees after he photoshopped an anime video to social media showing him appearing to kill Ocasio-Cortez and attacking President Joe Biden.
Craig Hudson/Sipa/AP
In this long-exposure photo, the House gathers to vote on the speakership on Tuesday.
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McCarthy talks to reporters following a GOP Caucus meeting earlier on Tuesday. The closed-door meeting grew tense and heated as uncertainty grew over McCarthy's fate.
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A video monitor at the Capitol displays a live feed of the House chamber on Tuesday.
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Jordan speaks on the House floor Tuesday. Jordan, in an effort to show party unity, nominated McCarthy in the second round of voting. He said the differences among Republican lawmakers "pale in comparison" to the differences between Republicans and Democrats. "We need to rally around him," Jordan said of McCarthy.
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A Republican on the House floor also watches the second round of voting on his phone.
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Gosar, a Republican from Arizona, voted against McCarthy all three times on Tuesday and at one point nominated Rep. Andy Biggs for the speakership.
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US Reps. Joe Morelle, a Democrat from New York, and Rep. Barbara Lee, a Democrat from California, look at the count after the first round of voting.
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McCarthy talks to other lawmakers after the first vote.
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Jeffries acknowledges applause after he was nominated to lead the Democratic Party's minority in the chamber. He will become the first Black lawmaker to lead a party in Congress.
Alex Brandon/AP
US Rep. Kevin Mullin, a Democrat from California, sits with his children during one of Tuesday's votes.
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A congressional staff member carries an American flag though the Capitol's Statuary Hall on Tuesday.
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Pelosi holds the gavel as she calls the House to order on Tuesday.
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US Rep.-elect George Santos sits alone in the House chamber Tuesday. The embattled New York Republican faces a federal probe into his finances and mounting scrutiny and condemnation over lies about his biography.
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McCarthy speaks with reporters as he departs from Tuesday's morning's meeting with House Republicans.

The 14 votes who flipped in favor of McCarthy on the 12th ballot are: Reps. Dan Bishop of North Carolina, Michael Cloud of Texas, Andrew Clyde of Georgia, Byron Donalds of Florida, Mary Miller of Illinois, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Chip Roy of Texas, Victoria Spartz of Indiana (who had been voting present and had said she would continue to do so until she saw progress), Paul Gosar of Arizona and Reps.-elect Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Keith Self of Texas and Andy Ogles of Tennessee.

On the 13th ballot, McCarthy picked up one more supporter: Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland.

On the 12th round of voting, the final tally was 213 for McCarthy, four for Rep. Jim Jordan and three for Rep. Kevin Hern.

In the 13th round, McCarthy had 214 votes and Jordan had six.

The final tally in the 14th round was 216 for McCarthy, two for Biggs, two for Jordan and two voting present.

On the 15th and final round of voting, the tally was was 216 for McCarthy and six voting present.

01:49 - Source: CNN
Hear why congressman changed his mind about voting for McCarthy

Part of the strategy to secure McCarthy the speakership was to get some of the holdouts to vote “present,” according to several sources. That was a way to reduce the threshold for winning the speaker race below 218 since the rules say the winner of the race needs to have a majority of those voting for a specific candidate.

Another plan from McCarthy’s allies had been to pick the remaining holdouts off one-by-one to get the speaker votes.

That strategy, according to sources involved, included leaning on former President Donald Trump to help squeeze the holdouts.

01:51 - Source: CNN
Analysis: Dana Bash reacts to McCarthy thanking Trump for speaker role

This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.

CNN’s Lauren Fox, Jessica Dean, Gabby Orr, Kaitlan Collins, Ted Barrett, Kristin Wilson, Kit Maher, Kate Sullivan and Nicky Robertson contributed to this report.