Kevin McCarthy is not the first person to hold this position.
Of the more than 50 House speakers, 15 have been in McCarthy’s situation: needing multiple elections to win the gavel.
McCarthy needs a simple majority to win. But that has become more difficult to achieve in recent years, as the most divided Houses have left the majority party with fewer votes to spare.
This year’s speaker elections have seen a number of protest votes, such as Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., voting for former President Donald Trump. Protest votes have become more common in recent years.