Donald Trump made a last ditch phone call to Republicans refusing to back Kevin McCarthy’s bid to become speaker. In a picture from the House, Representative Majorie Greene Taylor is seen holding a phone up to fellow Republican Matt Rosendale with the former President on the other end of the line.
The photo taken of members on the House floor showed Ms Greene holding up her cellphone, with “DT” on the other end, and trying to give the phone to Mr Rosendale, who had voted for a different candidate on the most recent ballot.
Mr Rosendale appeared to brush her off as she tried to hand him the phone.
“Don’t you ever do me like that”, he reportedly told the congresswoman.
Trump also called Florida congressman Matt Gaetz, according to two people briefed on the call who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorised to speak publicly.
He voted “present” and sunk Kevin McCarthy’s 14th effort to be elected House speaker.
On the final ballot, four Republican holdouts – Bob Good, Eli Crane, Matt Rosendale and Biggs – all switched their votes to ‘present,’ giving McCarthy the majority vote he needed for victory.
They joined Gaetz and Lauren Boebert in switching to ‘present’ votes after days of voting for a candidate other than McCarthy.
The final vote tally was 216 for McCarthy, 212 for Democrat Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York and six ‘present’ votes.
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