Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is hailing former Presdient Donald Trump for keeping the Republican House majority fairly unified against a relative handful of dissidents over Rep. Kevin McCarthy's bid to be speaker.
Twenty-one Republicans voted for either Byron Donalds, R-Fla., or present through the first two ballots on Wednesday. There were 20 detractors in the final vote a day earlier.
Greene said the number of defections would have grown if not for Trump releasing a statement earlier Wednesday urging the holdouts to end their their opposition and back McCarthy, R-Calif.
"It's a big credit to President Trump that it really helped hold the majority that we have for Kevin McCarthy," Greene told reporters outside the House chamber just after McCarthy had failed to secure the necessary support for the fifth time. "So that's how to read that one."
After Republicans took the lower chamber in the November midterms, Greene has been one of the most vocal of McCarthy's cheerleaders.
"You know what they've done? They've really got themselves out on a ledge, and they need to come back, take the wins that they have. And we're ready to get to work," she said.
"I hope it's over soon because, to be honest with you, I find it embarrassing."