Unprecedented GOP Leadership Impasse - Speaker's Race Stalls House; Chaos Ensues
Republicans face a daunting leadership crisis as the paralyzed House struggles to elect a new speaker Efforts to replace McCarthy were thwarted by strong opposition and deep divisions within the party, prolonging the uncertainty
The Republican Party is facing a growing leadership crisis, causing a gridlock in the House and making it difficult to choose a new speaker after Kevin McCarthy's removal. The party's inability to unite behind a candidate has resulted in unprecedented uncertainty in the House, at a critical time when significant global and national crises, such as Israel's conflict with Hamas and a possible government shutdown in mid-November, are looming.
House Republicans faced another setback on Thursday evening as Majority Leader Steve Scalise withdrew from the speakers race due to strong opposition from a significant number of holdouts. The main issue for the House GOP arises from the uncertainty of securing the necessary 217 votes to win the gavel, leading to doubts regarding the duration and consequences of the ongoing standoff over the speakership.
Frustration and concerns loom large among House Republicans as the impasse continues and the future remains uncertain.
Republican Rep. Mark Alford of Missouri shared with reporters on Thursday evening following Scalise's withdrawal from the race that a fellow lawmaker had made a comment implying that even Jesus Christ wouldn't be able to secure the necessary support.
The focus has shifted to Rep. Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican who previously ran against Scalise for the speaker nomination. Jordan, who currently serves as the chair of the influential House Judiciary Committee, stated on Thursday evening that out of respect for Scalise, he would wait until Friday to announce if he intends to enter the speaker race once again.
However, not all Republicans are in support of Jordan. Following Scalise's withdrawal from the race, numerous Republicans have expressed concern or outright opposition to a potential Jordan candidacy. Representative Don Bacon, when questioned about his stance on Jordan, stated to CNN's Manu Raju that he is currently contemplating his decision and noted that many Republicans are hesitant to reward what they perceive as "bad behavior" by yielding to the demands of a small group of holdouts. He emphasized that this should not be attributed to Jordan's actions.
Today, we had five individuals who expressed their intention to vote solely for Jim and not Steve. Many of us believe that this would encourage bad behavior, which is why I am struggling with the situation. The issue, however, lies not with Jim himself, which adds to my dilemma," he stated. "There is a fitting quote, stating that if you give a misbehaving 5-year-old more ice cream, their behavior will only worsen. The same principle applies here if we reward such behavior. Therefore, many of us are opposed to this idea."
Scalise's withdrawal from the race and McCarthy's unprecedented removal as speaker have shed light on the influence that a small group of conservatives holds in obstructing the agenda of the majority in the conference. The House Republicans maintain a narrow majority, and a candidate for speaker can only afford to lose four defectors and still secure a victory.
Rep. Austin Scott criticized the GOP for failing to elect a new speaker due to a small faction of holdouts, which he believes is detrimental to the party's reputation. He expressed frustration with a select few individuals who insist on having everything done according to their own desires. This faction previously undermined Speaker McCarthy and now hindered Steve Scalise, both of whom are highly regarded individuals.
CNNs Morgan Rimmer, Manu Raju, Sam Fossum and Haley Talbot contributed to this report.
