Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was dismissed for the first time in the history of the U.S. Congress, has hinted at the possibility of running for the position again. As voices within the Republican Party grew louder calling for an early end to the disruption in Congress due to the war in the Middle East, he changed his stance to “I will not run again.” As there is no leading candidate in the primary for the new Republican House Speaker scheduled for the 11th, there is a possibility that he may be renominated.
According to The Hill, a media outlet specializing in the U.S. Congress, on the 9th, former Speaker McCarthy, who appeared on a conservative radio broadcast that day, said, “I will do whatever the party wants” when asked about the possibility of returning as Speaker of the House. He then said, “I think our party must become stronger and unite,” and put pressure on the “Freedom Caucus,” a group of hard-right right-wing lawmakers within the party that led the dismissal. He resumed his legislative activities by demanding that the Joe Biden administration refreeze $6 billion worth of Iranian funds. According to the Washington Post, moderate lawmakers in the party welcomed his intention to return.
The argument for the reappointment of former Chairman McCarthy has emerged among centrist Republican lawmakers since the 7th, when the Palestinian armed group Hamas carried out a surprise attack on Israel. The point is that Congress must be normalized in order to support Israel, which is competing for every second. According to CNN, Republican Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said, “We need a Speaker of the House by the 11th,” and “the first bill will be a resolution condemning Hamas.” Due to a breakdown in Congress due to the absence of the chairman, even a resolution emphasizing America’s solidarity with Israel was not passed.
Moreover, neither the pro-Trump House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan nor the Republican Party Leader Steve Scalise, who are candidates for chairman, have a clear lead. To become Speaker of the House, he must receive a House majority of 217 votes. Although they can become chairman only with the votes of the Republican Party, which currently has 221 seats, the two hard-right members have not received the support of the majority of centrist conservatives in the party.
Republican House members held a closed-door general meeting this afternoon without former Speaker McCarthy attending, but were unable to agree on who to nominate as a candidate. Rep. Dan Bacon claimed, “Among the candidates, no one receives as much support as former Chairman McCarthy.” “I think we need another week to look at different options,” said Rep. Max Miller, who supports Jordan.
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.