Washington

The US House of Representatives has again adjourned for a third day without electing a new Speaker even after 11 votes, becoming the longest contest to select a person to take the gavel in 164 years.

The House will now convene on Friday noon, the second anniversary of the 2021 Capitol riot.

Kevin McCarthy from California, the House Republican leader since 2019, fell short of the necessary votes to take the gavel in five more rounds of voting on Thursday afternoon.

The House has voted 11 times since the 118th Congress convened on Tuesday, making it the longest speaker contest in 164 years.

Not since 1860, when the US' union was fraying over the issue of slavery, has the lower chamber of Congress voted so many times to pick a Speaker.

Back then it took 44 rounds of ballots.

A group of 20 hard-line Republican lawmakers are refusing to give the California Congressman the necessary 218 votes.

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The 435-seat lower chamber, where Republicans have a slim majority over Democrats, is unable to conduct any legislative business until a speaker is elected.