Republican who backed McCarthy votes ‘present’ in fourth round of voting for House speaker

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A lone Republican member of the House voted “present” on Wednesday in the fourth attempt to agree on a House speaker, the first such vote in the two days the GOP has been trying to find a consensus candidate.

Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana was the only member to vote “present,” a move that changes the dynamic of the vote. Members who don’t vote or who vote “present” reduce the minimum number of votes needed to secure a majority of the House.

Spartz said Republicans need to deliberate further as a conference until they are confident they have the votes for a speaker and “stop wasting everyone’s time.”

“We have a constitutional duty to elect the Speaker of the House, but we have to deliberate further as a Republican conference until we have enough votes and stop wasting everyone’s time,” Spartz said in a statement Wednesday.

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“None of the Republican candidates have this number yet. That’s why I voted present after all votes were cast.”

It’s unclear if Spartz’s switch signals that she might support a candidate for the seat other than McCarthy for future votes. A representative for Spartz did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Spartz cast her vote after talking to Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., a top aide to Kevin McCarthy, who has been trying to secure 218 votes to win the speaker’s gavel.

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McHenry is one of the lawmakers who has been talked about as a possible alternative candidate to McCarthy who might be able to win 218 votes.

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The final vote in the fourth round was 201 votes for McCarthy, 212 for Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, 20 for Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., and Spartz’s lone “present” vote.

Fox News’ Tyler Olsen contributed to this report.