There are predictions that former President Donald Trump, who blatantly intervened in the House Speaker election by publicly supporting Republican Jim Jordan (59), chairman of the House Legislation and Judiciary Committee, as a candidate for the vacant U.S. House of Representatives seat, may face a backlash. In particular, due to the surprise attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, there are voices among centrist Republicans calling for former Chairman Kevin McCarthy to be reappointed to support Israel.
Earlier, on the 6th, former President Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, saying that he “completely, completely” supports Rep. Jordan and that “he will be a great Speaker of the House.” Rep. Jordan is the first chairman of the Freedom Caucus, a hard-right Republican group that led the dismissal of former Chairman McCarthy, and is a key ally of former President Trump.
However, some point out that it is unclear whether this choice will help Trump’s control of Congress, as Jordan’s rival, House Republican Leader Steve Scalise (58), is also a Trump supporter. According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 7th, Rep. Scalise, the ‘second-ranking Republican’ who has been considered former Chairman McCarthy’s biggest rival, has strong conservative tendencies, but has extensive relationships with factions within the party with various viewpoints, including moderates.
In particular, there are observations that there is a high probability that a declaration of support for Trump will have an adverse effect on Rep. Jordan, as the general meeting of Republican lawmakers on the 10th, which will decide the candidate for House Speaker, will be held behind closed doors. There is an analysis that Republican lawmakers who are resentful of former President Trump’s blatant intervention may choose Representative Scalise. Senator Rick Scott, whom former President Trump publicly supported as the Republican Senate leader in November of last year, was defeated by Representative Mitch McConnell.
Attention is being paid to what effect the ‘McCarthy reappointment’ variable will have. Politico, a U.S. political media outlet, reported on the 8th that about 20 centrist Republican lawmakers are discussing a plan to reappoint former Speaker McCarthy as a candidate for House Speaker in order to hasten support for Israel. According to Politico, immediately after the Hamas attack on the 7th, these lawmakers unanimously agreed through phone calls and text messages, saying, “Former Chairman McCarthy must be brought in immediately.” Although the force is weak, it is believed that the urgency of supporting Israel can pressure the eight Republican lawmakers who supported the dismissal of former Speaker McCarthy to change their attitudes.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.