Rep.-elect Byron Donalds, R-Fla., set the House abuzz on Tuesday when he switched his vote for House Speaker from embattled Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio – as McCarthy struggles to meet the threshold to gain the gavel.

Donalds had supported McCarthy for the first two votes, which both resulted in no candidate reaching the necessary 218 votes after 19 Republicans defected -- the first time in nearly a century that additional votes were needed for a majority’s nominee.

Some rebel Republicans had cast votes for Reps.-elect Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., Jordan, Jim Banks, Lee Zeldin, R-NY, and Donalds himself in the first round. Jordan secured all non-McCarthy GOP votes in the second and third rounds. Democrats, meanwhile, have remained united around Rep.-elect Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY.

On the third vote, Donalds was asked his selection, and chose Jordan, raising the number of Republicans voting for someone other than McCarthy to 20. Jordan has said he is supporting McCarthy.

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The vote by Donalds immediately sparked murmurings throughout the chamber, as well as a round of applause from Republicans lawmakers opposed to McCarthy’s candidacy. Ultimately, Jordan received 20 GOP votes, while McCarthy received 202 and Jeffries received all 212 votes from his fellow Democrats.

In an interview on "Kudlow" after the vote, Donalds said he changed his vote because he doesn’t believe McCarthy has the 218 votes at the moment.

"I voted for Kevin on the first two ballots, and it's just not clear that he has the votes," he said.

MCCARTHY SHORT OF VOTES AS HOUSE SPEAKER CONTEST ENTERS FINAL HOURS

He said that McCarthy does have the ability to get to the threshold but "there’s a lot of work to be done."

"I think just if you're going to ask members to vote over and over and over again to try to wear people down, I think it actually has the opposite effect," he said. "My view has been for us to call a recess, get in a room, figure it out, have those conversations and then go back to the floor." 

Shortly after the vote, the House moved to adjourn until noon on Wednesday, meaning that the chamber will not be electing a speaker until at least that time. No members have been sworn in and cannot be until a speaker is elected.

Fox News' Kelly Phares and Jessica Chasmar contributed to this report.
 

The condition of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin Tuesday weighed heavily on his teammates, coaches and family – and on Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

Tomlin spoke to reporters and said he’s known Hamlin since the defensive back was coming up in the youth football ranks. Hamlin grew up in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, located just outside Pittsburgh. He attended Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School and went to the University of Pittsburgh.

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"I’ll say this about Damar Hamlin – it’s a really personal thing to me, being a Pittsburgher and that young man being a Pittsburgher, I’ve known that guy probably since he was about 12," Tomlin said. "I’ve just got a lot of respect and love for him as a human being, his commitment to the pursuit of his goals and dreams of doing what he is right now, which is playing in the NFL. To watch him make personal decisions, and make that a realization, it’s just an honor to get to know young people like that.

"I’ve had an opportunity to express that to him whenever I see him. We’ve played Buffalo each of the last two seasons and he and I had a moment because it’s just cool to not only appreciate these guys in terms of where they are now but to know them since they were younger people and to watch their maturation, their development, to watch them earn what they’ve been chasing, it’s really a cool thing, and he’s an example of that.

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"I’ve got a lot of love for that young man. I’ve lifted him and that organization up in prayer. I’ve reached out to Sean McDermott to lend whatever assistance I could. But I don’t have a lot to add other than that. I just respect the fact that you guys appreciate how personal it is for me, not only for me, but for all of us."

The Bills offered an update on Hamlin’s status after he suffered cardiac arrest while trying to tackle Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. He was rushed to the hospital after needing his heartbeat to be restored on the field.

"Damar Hamlin spent last night in the intensive care unit and remains there today in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center," the organization said.

"We are grateful and thankful for the outpouring of support we have received thus far."