House clerk calls on anti-McCarthy Republican as he’s on Fox News

Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) nearly missed casting his vote against Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as the Republican leader remains locked in a battle for the House Speakership this week.

As the House Clerk was calling the role for a seventh vote for Speaker on Thursday, Perry was outside the chamber participating in a live interview on Fox News’ “America Reports” program.

Video taken inside the Capitol shows Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) quickly running to get Perry’s attention as he stands near a bank of cameras, alerting to him his name had been called by the clerk.

“I’m trying, dude,” Perry said as he rushed back into the chamber before casting his vote for Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.).

Perry is one of more than a dozen Republicans who have refused to support McCarthy’s bid for the speakership, which had failed seven votes as of Thursday afternoon.

All week, House members have been participating in live interviews, informally known as “hits,” on cable news from the Capitol as Republicans try to work out a deal to elect its next Speaker.

“A deal is NOT done. When confidences are betrayed and leaks are directed, it’s even more difficult to trust,” Perry wrote in a tweet on Thursday. “Totally unsat. I will not yield to the status quo.”