Polygraph

Kevin McCarthy lost multiple votes when he was Speaker of the House.

Posted by IHIP News, Checked

Polygraph verdictMixed
Sources
2 contradict4 support
Said
1 time·
Confidence
60%
IHIP NewsOct 15, 2026
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21 claimsThe check →

McCarthy did lose multiple floor votes in January 2023, but those losses came while he was the Republican nominee for Speaker, before he took office, as sources [2], [4], [5] and [9] report. While he was Speaker he lost the removal vote in October 2023 (216-210, source [1]), but the sources do not document multiple lost votes during his tenure.

What was said

… Yeah, Kevin McCarthy couldn't keep his caucus together. Republicans opposed him, couldn't get anything done. He lost multiple votes when he was Speaker. You got idiots like Stephen Miller, like, a total ideologue. When he added his way, he was doing the raids in Minnesota that were going in, that were extremely unpopular, right? …
IHIP News · · from the transcriptPost →

What we found

Contradicts. Those multiple losses occurred while McCarthy was a candidate for Speaker, before he took office; he only secured the office after 15 ballots, according to Wikipedia and Reuters.[1][3]

Supports. McCarthy lost multiple ballots in the January 2023 race for Speaker, including 15 votes over four days before he was elected, per Reuters and AP.[1][2][4][5][6]

Supports. While serving as Speaker, McCarthy lost the October 2023 vote to remove him, 216-210, after eight Republicans joined Democrats.[1][3]

Context. The sources do not document multiple votes lost by McCarthy during his time as Speaker; the removal vote was the only documented in-office loss.[1][3]

Sources

6 sources: 2 fact-checkers, 2 not rated, 2 tier 2

  1. 1Kevin McCarthy's wild ride as US House speaker ends in historic fallreuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: contradicts, supports, context
  2. 2McCarthy fails for 3rd day in bitter GOP House speaker fight - AP Newsapnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
  3. 3Kevin McCarthy - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org · not rated · cited for: contradicts, supports, context
  4. 4Kevin McCarthy fails in 2 votes for House speaker, pledges to keep fightingpbs.org · tier 2 · cited for: supports
  5. 5January 5, 2023 GOP deadlocked over House speaker vote | CNN Politicscnn.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
  6. 6Rep. Kevin McCarthy loses 11th straight House speaker vote as GOP rebels hold firmnydailynews.com · not rated · cited for: supports

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