Byron Donalds emerges as GOP alternative for House speaker
By MEG KINNARD and ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON
Associated Press
MIAMI (AP) — As Republicans struggled for a second day to elect a House speaker, Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida emerged as the choice of conservative holdouts who are refusing to support Kevin McCarthy’s bid. During three rounds of balloting Wednesday, Donalds received 20 votes to McCarthy’s 201 — enough to keep McCarthy short of the 218 needed to win the speakership in a full House. On Tuesday, Republicans opposing McCarthy nominated a slew of candidates, including Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and even former Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York. Donalds joined the insurgent Republicans on the final vote Tuesday, switching his vote from McCarthy to Jordan.