NORTH CAROLINA, THE NEW FLORIDA:

Five ballots and no new speaker (AMY GARDNER AND LYNN BONNER, 1/29/03, The News & Observer)

After five ballots, the state House of Representatives recessed for the day Wednesday afternoon when neither Republicans nor Democrats could marshal 61 votes to elect a new speaker.

On each ballot, the 60 House Democrats united to back Rep. Jim Black's bid for a third term. Republicans were divided, with 55 voting for the party's nominee, Rep. George Holmes of Yadkin County, and five for Rep. Richard Morgan of Moore County.

It was the first time since 1866 that the speaker of the 120-member House was not elected on the first ballot. The House went through four roll-call ballots, recessed so Republicans and Democrats could meet privately in separate groups, and then conducted one more ballots before adjourning deadlocked in mid-afternoon. [...]

In the November election, Republicans won a two-seat majority. But that vanished suddenly Friday when Rep. Michael Decker of Walkertown switched parties and declared his support for Black.

Decker's defection ripped wider a division among House Republicans who could not unite their first nominee, Rep. Leo Daughtry of Smithfield. And even when Daughtry
stepped aside on Tuesday, Republicans still could not rally behind Holmes, the new pick.

In the immortal words of Wesley Snipes: Always bet on Black. Posted by Orrin Judd at January 29, 2003 7:39 PM