The House Republican Party is sliding even deeper into disarray as it feuds over its next speaker, apparently oblivious to the picture of US government dysfunction it is sending at a moment of worsening global crises.
GOP lawmakers did select Steve Scalise as their nominee for the job that is second in the line of presidential succession on Wednesday. But by nightfall it was clear the Louisiana Republican and current majority leader was struggling to find the votes he needs to secure the gavel during a floor vote.
While party leaders still hoped to hold a vote on the speakership in the full chamber on Thursday, senior Republicans were also considering what to do should Scalise lack the support to win the job, CNN’s Manu Raju and Melanie Zanona reported.
“Steve is nowhere near 217,” said one Republican member, referring to the tally Scalise would need on the floor to become speaker. But a number of GOP sources also doubt that Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, the runner-up to Scalise in Wednesday’s closed-door election, can unite the party and claim the top job either. That could create an opening for a compromise candidate, whoever that may be, to emerge.
The worsening debacle in the House follows the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy last week by eight Republicans voting with Democrats.
In theory, Scalise is on the cusp of becoming the most powerful Republican in Washington. In reality, even if he can somehow win the votes he needs, he risks neutering his potential House speakership before it starts with concessions to extremists needed to win the gavel.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because Scalise is sizing up the same dilemmas that McCarthy faced during the 15 rounds of balloting it took him to win the job in January – and that eventually led to his ouster as speaker last week.
There were also increasing signs on…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply