Live coverage: House elects new Speaker as Dems take charge

It’s a huge day in the House, with Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) being elected to a second stint as Speaker and Democrats ready to take control of the body and pass legislation that would end the shutdown. 

{mosads}The day began with the Speaker’s vote and will also include the swearing in of new members.

Votes on the legislation to end the shutdown will come later. The bills have been rejected by President Trump and the Senate, which remains in GOP hands.

Stick with The Hill and bookmark this page for regular updates.

Pelosi sworn in as House Speaker

2:45 p.m.

Pelosi took her oath and was sworn in as the new Speaker of the House after inviting her grandchildren and all the other children in the audience to join her at the front of the chamber.

The oath was administered by the dean of the House, Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska).

Pelosi then swore in the other members of the House.

House elects Pelosi to second Speakership

2 p.m.

Pelosi won the Speaker’s gavel for the second time, marking a historic return to power for the nation’s first female Speaker and ushering in what Democrats promise will be a new era of oversight for Trump and his administration.

Pelosi won the Speakership in a 220-192 vote over Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the House minority leader.

Twelve Democrats voted against Pelosi, who worked to crush a Democratic insurgency that initially appeared to threaten her Speakership bid. Three Democrats voted “present.”

Six Republicans voted against McCarthy.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) received five votes.

— Mike Lillis and Juliegrace Brufke

Incoming New Jersey rep is 15th protest vote against Pelosi

1:47 p.m.

Incoming Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-N.J.) voted “present” after originally voting “no,” to become the 15th Democratic protest vote against Pelosi as Speaker. Van Drew succeeds Republican Rep. Frank LoBiondo in Congress.

— Naomi Jagoda

Incoming Michigan, Virginia reps are 13th and 14th protest votes against Pelosi

1:42 p.m.

Rep.-elect Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) and Rep.-elect Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) became the 13th and 14th Democratic members to vote against Pelosi.

Slotkin voted “present” and Spanberger became the fourth vote for Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), the incoming chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

— Naomi Jagoda

Oregon rep, New Jersey rep become 11th and 12th Democratic votes against Pelosi

1:40 p.m.

Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-Ore.) voted for Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) for Speaker. Fudge had contemplated a run for Speaker. Fudge cast a vote for Pelosi.

Rep.-elect Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) became the third member to vote for Bustos.

— Cristina Marcos

New York rep becomes 10th Dem vote against Pelosi

1: 38 p.m.

Rep.-elect Max Rose (D-N.Y.) became the second vote for Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) to become Speaker.

— Cristina Marcos

Rice becomes ninth Dem vote against Pelosi

1:35 p.m.

Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.), a leader of the group of House Democrats who were hoping to oust Pelosi as speaker, voted for Stacey Abrams, who lost her competitive race for Georgia governor in November.

— Naomi Jagoda

Florida rep backs Jordan over McCarthy

Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) became the fifth Republican vote against McCarthy for Speaker, casting his vote for Jordan.

— Melanie Zanona

Utah rep is eighth Democratic protest vote against Pelosi

1:29 p.m.

Incoming Rep. Ben McAdams (D-Utah) cast his Speaker vote for Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.), the leader of the moderate Blue Dog Coalition.

— Melanie Zanona

Massie votes Jordan to ‘drain the swamp’

1:26 p.m.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) became the third Republican to vote against McCarthy. Massie voted for Jordan, saying it was a vote to “drain the swamp.”

— Melanie Zanona

Pennsylvania rep is seventh Pelosi protest vote

1:23 p.m.

Rep. Conor Lamb (D-Pa.) voted for Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.).

Kennedy was seen having a good laugh with the people sitting around him after Lamb’s vote. 

— Cristina Marcos

Wisconsin rep becomes sixth protest vote against Pelosi

1:20 p.m.

Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) voted for civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.). Kind was an expected “no” vote on Pelosi after voting against her as Democratic leader in November 2017.

— Cristina Marcos

Jordan backs McCarthy for Speaker

1:15 p.m.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who received some votes for Speaker, cast his vote for McCarthy.

— Naomi Jagoda 

Pelosi, McCarthy receive first protest votes

1:03 p.m.

Incoming freshman Rep. Anthony Brindisi (N.Y.) became the first Democrat to register a protest vote against Pelosi as Speaker. Brindisi voted for former Vice President Joe Biden to serve in the role.

Shortly after Brindisi’s vote, Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) voted “present,” drawing murmurs in the chamber.

Cooper in past years has voted for Colin Powell for Speaker.

Incoming Rep. Jason Crow (Colo.) cast his vote for Duckworth (D-Ill.), a fellow military veteran who also served in the Iraq war.

Incoming Reps. Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.) and Jared Golden (D-Maine) also broke ranks, voting for Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), the incoming chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Cunningham will represent a district that President Trump won in 2016.

On the other side of the aisle, most Republicans voted for McCarthy.

Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), broke ranks to vote for Massie and Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) voted for Jordan. 

— Melanie Zanona

Jeffries drops Naughty by Nature reference in nominating Pelosi

12:54 p.m.

House Democratic Caucus Chairman Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who is often discussed as a future Speaker, rose to nominate Pelosi.

To roaring applause from Democrats, Jeffries showcased his knowledge of 1990s hip-hop and said, “Dems are down with NDP,” referencing Naughty by Nature’s hit song, “Down with OPP.”

Nancy Patricia D’Alesandro Pelosi is expected to be elected Speaker later Thursday. 

— Julliegrace Brufke

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, meet Mark Meadows

12:51 p.m.

Progressive firebrand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) could not be missed on the House floor.

Clad in all white, the congresswoman-elect blew kisses to supporters in the gallery, gave high fives to fellow freshmen and took pictures with fellow Democrats Ann McLane Kuster (N.H.), Barbara Lee (Calif.), Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas) and Jahana Hayes (Conn.).

At one point, Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) wandered across the aisle to shake hands with and say hello to Ocasio-Cortez. The two bomb throwers from opposite ends of the political spectrum smiled and chatted for a bit before Meadows moved on.

— Scott Wong 

Tony Bennett, Tim Gunn among Pelosi guests

12:24 p.m.

Pelosi has invited a star-studded guest list to witness history when she reclaims the Speaker’s gavel on Thursday.

In addition to her children and grandchildren, Pelosi has asked legendary singer Tony Bennett, Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and television personality Tim Gunn to sit in the House gallery during the Speaker’s vote.

Also in attendance will be D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Stephanie Shriock and Ellen Malcolm of EMILY’s List, and the presidents of Georgetown University and Trinity Washington University.

— Melanie Zanona

Pelosi supports hearings on ‘Medicare for all’

11:55 a.m.

Pelosi supports holding hearings on “Medicare for all,” her spokesman said Thursday, a major step forward for the movement.

Some Democrats had already been talking about holding hearings on the issue and having Pelosi’s support could boost that effort.

Pelosi had said last year only that Medicare for all would “have to be evaluated” and is “on the table.”

The Washington Post reported that the hearings would be in the Rules Committee and the Budget Committee. 

Notably, that would leave out the main committees with jurisdiction over the issue, Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means. The chairmen of those committees have not given their backing to Medicare for all, while the chairmen of Rules and Budget have.

— Peter Sullivan