Republican Kevin McCarthy is inching towards securing enough support to become speaker of the US House of Representatives – with 14 more people voting for him in the 12th ballot.
But the extra backing for Mr McCarthy is still not enough for him yet to succeed outgoing speaker, Democrat Nancy Pelosi.
Seven fellow Republicans still voted against him, leaving him three votes short of the majority needed to win.
Therefore, members will be asked to vote for a 13th time – this time, just between Mr McCarthy and Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leader, without a Republican challenger to siphon their votes away.
Republicans took control of the House – the US lower chamber – following the midterm elections in the autumn, where they secured a slim 222-212 majority.
The election of the speaker is normally a formality, with the leader of the largest party in the House generally a shoo-in for the job.
However, recent splits in the Republican party have led to the first defeat of a nominee in a century.
At least 200 Republicans have backed Mr McCarthy in each of the 11 other votes this week and although fewer than 10% of Republican politicians have voted against him in the House, it remains enough to deny him the 218 he needs.
Sessions to decide the speaker have rumbled on for hours in the chamber this week – one even topping eight hours.
The stalemate has raised questions about the Republicans’ ability to govern over the coming two years.
