Republican Kevin McCarthy has been elected as the new US Speaker after winning the 15th vote following chaotic scenes in Congress.
Usually the election of Speaker is nothing more than a formality, the largest party confirming his appointment.
This time, however, he needed 15 rounds of voting before hobbling across the line.
The reason, a number of Republicans refused to back his nomination and voted for someone else. That meant he failed to get the 218 votes necessary. The Republicans have only 222 seats in the House so the margin wafer thin.
In the end and only after tempers flared, he managed to squeeze through with 216 votes.
Not the start the Republican Party would have wanted and a result that could lead to stormy waters ahead.
