Iran Press/America: Republican leader Kevin McCarthy has flipped 15 colleagues to support him in dramatic votes for House speaker, making extraordinary gains on the fourth day and the 12th and 13th ballots of a gruelling standoff that was testing American democracy and the Republicans' ability to govern.
The California lawmaker said he believed victory was close, and the chamber voted to reconvene at 10 p.m. ET (0300 GMT Saturday). McCarthy claimed that the four-day long standoff within his party would come to an end then.
After McCarthy won the most votes for the first time on the 12th ballot, a 13th was swiftly launched, this time, just between McCarthy and the Democratic leader, with no nominated Republican challenger to siphon GOP votes away.
But six GOP holdouts still cast their ballots for unnominated others, denying him the majority needed. 219
