WASHINGTON (Reuters) – House Republican hardliners turned down Kevin McCarthy’s bid to run for the 11th House Speaker on Wednesday.
Even after McCarthy offered to curb his influence and raised questions about his party’s power, the vote sent the House to a level of dysfunction not seen since the tumultuous years preceding the Civil War.
After the 11th vote, the House decided to adjourn him for the third time this week without choosing a speaker. Lawmakers will reconvene on Friday at 12:00 pm (17:00 GMT).
Opponents of McCarthy say they don’t believe he will fight for the drastic spending cuts and other restrictions they want to impose on President Joe Biden and the Democratic-controlled Senate. But some Republicans wanted reconciliation between California Republicans and at least some of the 20 hardline conservatives who voted against his candidacy.
According to Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, the potential deal would allow votes on term limits for lawmakers, among other things.
The inability to elect a leader has left the 435-seat House powerless to consider legislation or hold public hearings to scrutinize Biden and his administration, let alone elect newly elected representatives. You can’t even formally take an oath.
Republicans won a narrow 222-212 majority in the House of Representatives in his November midterm elections. This means McCarthy cannot afford to lose more than four of his Republican endorsements as Democrats rally around their own candidates.
McCarthy, who had the backing of former President Donald Trump, offered the holdout a series of concessions that weakened the chairman’s role. At least 200 Republicans endorse McCarthy on each vote this week. Less than 10% of his Republicans voted against him, but that’s enough to deny Democrat Nancy Pelosi his 218 votes needed to succeed as chairman.
Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna said in nominating McCarthy rival Byron Donald for the 10th ballot, “What we’re seeing in this chamber means we’re dysfunctional. not.
“Make a straitjacket”
“I would say that some good things are happening,” said MP Marjorie Taylor-Green, a supporter of McCarthy, one of the most outspoken Conservatives in the House of Commons. I hope you can see it.”
But some of McCarthy’s opponents showed no signs of backing down. “This will end in one of two ways.
Either Kevin McCarthy withdraws his candidacy or designs a straitjacket he doesn’t want to avoid,” Republican congressman Matt Gates, who voted for Trump, said.
As Speaker, McCarthy typically dominates the House agenda and holds his second post in the presidential line of succession, behind Vice President Kamala Harris. He will have the authority to block Biden’s legislative agenda and conduct investigations ahead of the president’s family and administration.
