Kevin McCarthy just failed to win a majority of votes for House Speaker on Tuesday after the first round of voting concluded in the 118th session of Congress

It was a humiliating defeat for California Republican Kevin McCarthy. The vote is poised to go to a second ballot for the first time in 100 years as hard-line GOP members reject McCarthy’s bid.

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He did not just make history in the worst way possible way. He also secured far fewer votes than Democratic minority leader Hakim Jeffries. While Jeffries had 212 votes, McCarthy had just 203. Republican strategic thorn Andy Biggs (nominated by Paul Gosar) had 10 votes. Nine lawmakers on the floor supported none of the candidates who have thrown their hats in the ring.

McCarthy needed 218 votes to be elected Speaker. As he does not have enough votes to secure his bid for speaker in the first ballot, lawmakers will continue voting until someone wins the majority. The House does not kick off the new Congress until a speaker is elected.

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The chamber of Congress is not in recess. It is still in session. It remains unclear as to what will happen between the present and the next round of voting.

Charlie Dent, a former Republican congressman, said that he does not see a way for McCarthy to win the House speakership after suffering a defeat on the first speaker ballot.

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“They can keep having these votes, but once you vote this way, it’s very hard to change your vote. So, I don’t see how he gets there,” Dent old CNN’s Jake Tapper.

“What can he give these folks that he hasn’t already tried to give them? I don’t think there’s anything he can give them. It will never be enough. It seems so personal. They don’t — they just don’t want him so I don’t think there’s anything he can do. No concession he can make. There’s no more appeasement that he can do to win some of these folks over.”