Former president Donald Trump put his grip on House Republicans to the test on Wednesday, calling on every member to back Kevin McCarthy for speaker.
Trump posted on just hours ahead of the House's fourth attempt to elect a speaker.
McCarthy came up short in his to win the post on Tuesday, seeing his support erode by one on the final ballot. On that vote, representative Byron Donalds, a Florida Republican, switched his support to Representative Jim Jordan.
The Ohio Republican, despite nominating McCarthy for speaker, received six votes on the first ballot, 19 on the second and 20 on the third.
"[I]t's now time for all of our GREAT Republican House Members to VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY," Trump wrote.
"REPUBLICANS, DO NOT TURN A GREAT TRIUMPH INTO A GIANT & EMBARRASSING DEFEAT. IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE, YOU DESERVE IT. Kevin McCarthy will do a good job, and maybe even a GREAT JOB - JUST WATCH!"
It's unclear, however, whether the former president's all-caps advice to House Republicans will move any votes in McCarthy's favour.
McCarthy left the floor on Tuesday afternoon 16 votes shy of the majority needed to win the gavel, becoming the first majority party leader in a century not to win the speakership on the first ballot.
Trump had declined to endorse McCarthy's bid for speaker as recently as Tuesday night in a brief phone call with NBC News, telling a reporter, "we'll see what happens. We'll see how it all works out."
