(CBrief) – For weeks after Republicans won a small majority in the November midterms, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy campaigned behind the scenes to replace Nancy Pelosi as Speaker. Having handily won his post to represent the party when Democrats controlled the chamber, on the surface anyway, it seemed like the California Republican should be a shoo-in.

But that wasn’t the case.

Thanks to a handful of Freedom Caucus conservatives, after the 118th Congress was sworn in on Tuesday and Republicans found themselves in the majority for the first time since January 2019, GOP members could not agree on McCarthy as Speaker. In fact, after three votes, the House adjourned without one. That hasn’t happened since the mid-1850s.

At a meeting with Republican members following the first failed vote, McCarthy laid out his case as to why he should be Speaker, essentially explaining that he had earned the position. But that didn’t sit well with some members, including Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, who reportedly muttered, “this is bullsh*t” when McCarthy was trying to unify the party.

Fox News notes further:

The comment, which a Boebert spokesperson told Fox News Digital was not yelled or said into a microphone, came Tuesday morning as McCarthy, R-Calif., delivered a speech aimed to unite his party ahead of the leadership vote. McCarthy faces opposition for speaker from Boebert, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and members of the House Freedom Caucus, who claim he has not proven to be worthy to be speaker of the new Republican majority.

Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., said the House Republican meeting was “hostile,” and that McCarthy’s attempt to persuade hard-line Republicans to vote for him fell flat.

“The meeting was very hostile and I don’t think it did anything to persuade those who are inclined to vote against Kevin McCarthy,” Good told Fox News.

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