New Congress live updates: What's next after Kevin McCarthy's speakership win

Emerging from the closed-door GOP conference meeting, Rep. Matt Gaetz said nothing McCarthy said was enough to get his support.

"Everything I heard hardened my resolve that this town desperately needs change, and if it's a few of us who have to stand in the breach to force it, we are willing to do so for as long as it takes," Gaetz said.

Gaetz said he will vote for Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona to become speaker, arguing McCarthy hasn't done enough to bring change.

"There's very little difference between Nancy Pelosi and her California delegation-mate that seeks the gavel," Gaetz said. "We want to change because this town is broken. And this is a person who has acknowledged, Mr. McCarthy, that the town is broken and he has been a part of that process for many years as a member of the leadership."

In a closed-door meeting with House Republicans, Kevin McCarthy made a last-ditch case for speaker.

"I'm not going to go away. I'm going to stand until the last four friends stand with me," he told the GOP members, according to a source in the room.

"I earned this job," McCarthy said. "We earned this majority, and goddammit we are going to win it today."

Sources said he received a standing ovation from most members in the room, but it may not have been enough to win over Republicans who are on the fence. Other sources indicated that conservative members were "livid" at McCarthy's response.

-ABC News' Rachel Scott

Rep.-elect George Santos, who has faced controversy and national attention for lying about or embellishing details of his background, was spotted by reporters in Congress Tuesday morning.

Santos was walking toward his office in the Longworth House Office Building, accompanied by a staffer, when he stopped and turned the other way once he saw reporters.

He declined to answer most questions, but told ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa he will vote for Kevin McCarthy for speaker.

Santos faced calls for accountability from some Republicans, but not from current Republican House leadership. He has said he will serve out his term in the House.

New members of the House will not be sworn in until a speaker is elected.

-ABC News’ Hannah Demissie, Lalee Ibssa, and Oren Oppenheim

As Republicans met behind closed doors ahead of the speaker vote, it appeared Kevin McCarthy still did not have the votes needed to be elected.

Sources close to the Republican leader say he's ready to battle it out. It could go into multiple rounds of votes -- something that hasn't happened in 100 years -- and the floor fight could drag on for hours, if not days. The longest battle for speaker was in 1856, and it took two months and 133 votes to resolve.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, who opposes McCarthy's bid, has warned, "We may see the cherry blossoms bloom in Washington, D.C. before a speaker is elected."

All of this overshadows the start of the new Congress where Republicans have a majority in the House for the first time since 2018.

-ABC News' Rachel Scott