Watch live: House meets, holds fourth vote for Speaker

The GOP-led House of Representatives will on Wednesday again hold a vote for its new Speaker, as the first contested election for the leadership role in a century continues.

It remains an up-or-down vote on Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), supported by most Republicans, but not enough.

McCarthy was able to secure the nomination from the GOP, but so far McCarthy hasn’t been able to reach the 218 votes needed to win the Speaker’s gavel.

With the Republicans’ narrow majority in the chamber — and no Democrats approving McCarthy — he can only afford to lose four GOP votes. Absences could in theory lower the threshold, as could votes of “present,” the latter a choice a McCarthy opponent could make other than an explicit “no” vote. Neither was the case on Tuesday. The one vacant seat — held by the late Rep. Donald McEachin (D-Va.), who won reelection in November — isn’t enough to change the total votes needed.

Without any clear alternative candidate among the Republicans, today’s outcome remains uncertain.

The vote is scheduled to begin at noon ET.

Watch the live video above.