Today, Thursday, the Republicans were busy behind the scenes electing the speaker of the US House of Representatives and getting out of the paralysis caused by the opposition of some right-wing MPs in the party, Donald Trump, they stand in opposition.
But this did not give any result. These MPs continued to oppose after the eighth vote in a scenario unprecedented in a century.
This situation paralyzes the entire institution, since without a president, deputies cannot take an oath and thereby pass any bill.
“I hope Republicans stop bickering and backstabbing today so we can work for the good of the American people,” Democrat Hakim Jeffreys said Thursday.
These ultraconservatives don’t trust McCarthy and are using the weak Republican majority they won in the November midterm elections to impose their terms.
Without their support, McCarthy will not be able to achieve office, and he agreed to one of their requests to ease the procedure for firing the council speaker, according to US media.
However, opposition to his candidacy is emerging.
“We are determined to make profound changes in this institution that is on the wrong track,” said Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina.
A majority of 218 votes is required to elect the Speaker of the House, the third most important figure in American politics after the president and his vice president. McCarthy failed to pass the threshold of 201 votes.
But the question remains, how far can McCarthy continue his candidacy?
The representative from California has no real competitor, and as a possible alternative, only the name of the head of the Republican caucus, Steve Scales, is exaggerated, but his chances do not seem great.
Representatives will continue to vote until a speaker is elected. This could take hours or weeks: in 1856, members of Congress agreed on a president after only two months and 133 sessions.
Representative John James said, “There is no doubt that the issues we are divided over today are far less serious than they were in 1856,” urging his colleagues to rush to support Kevin McCarthy.
The Democratic nominee spoke at a press conference ahead of the third day of voting.
Democratic President Joe Biden called the situation “embarrassing,” stressing that “the rest of the world” is watching this chaos.
Among the majority of non-hardline Republicans, voices for a settlement are beginning to emerge.
“We have a job that we can’t do,” Republican Party spokesman Mike Gallagher lamented.
Consequently, the Republicans cannot launch the numerous investigations they promised against Joe Biden.
Trump broke his silence on Wednesday and urged his party on his social media to make every effort to avoid “defeat.” “The time has come for House Republicans to vote for Kevin McCarthy, who will do a ‘good’ or even ‘fantastic job,'” he said.
But calling on Trump, whose hegemony over the Republican Party has been questioned in recent months, was not enough.
The Democrats are watching this situation with some pleasure, and the Democratic Party is rallying behind the nomination of Hakim Jeffreys, but the representative does not have enough support to be elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Opposing a hostile but disorganized House of Representatives could be politically beneficial for Joe Biden if he confirms his intention to run again in 2024, a decision he will announce earlier in the year.
