House Republicans remain unsure about the timeline for electing a new speaker following their meeting on Monday night. Reps. Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise are competing for the position, but some members are still hoping for former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to be reinstated after his removal last week.
According to attending Republicans, the meeting was a listening session in which members discussed McCarthy’s removal from the speakership and discussed how to move forward as a group.
The conference is eager to elect a new speaker this week, especially in light of the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, which has resulted in over 1,500 deaths and numerous injuries.
The conference may attempt to unanimously agree on a single candidate to avoid a lengthy voting process like the one McCarthy went through earlier this year. McCarthy himself did not attend the meeting.
Scalise told reporters that Republicans may hold a forum on Tuesday and select a speaker on Wednesday. Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry also stated that his goal is for the entire House to vote for the speaker on Wednesday.
However, it remains uncertain which candidate will secure enough support within the conference. Despite Jordan’s lead in public endorsements, many members are unsure if the speaker battle can be resolved by Wednesday.
Some members, like Rep. Max Miller, suggest delaying the decision for another week to address the ongoing crisis in Israel. Miller emphasized the importance of resolving the crisis while acknowledging the need to resolve the speaker issue as well.
Although a few members spoke in favor of reinstating McCarthy, others, like Rep. Tim Burchett, who voted to remove McCarthy, do not support his return. McCarthy himself has not ruled out running for the speakership again, stating that he will let the conference decide.
During a news conference, McCarthy expressed his concerns about the attacks on Israel and highlighted the vulnerability of the next speaker. He questioned whether it was prudent to allow a small group of individuals to oust the speaker if their demands are not met.
Under McCarthy’s predecessor, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, a motion to vacate could only be offered if a majority of either party agreed to it. McCarthy called for action to prevent the removal of the next speaker by a small percentage of the conference.
Several rank-and-file Republicans, including Reps. Carlos Gimenez, Marc Molinaro, Brandon Williams, and Mike Lawler, have voiced their support for McCarthy’s reinstatement.
McCarthy has also criticized Democratic House members for not providing enough support and blamed President Biden for weakening the U.S. and adopting a policy of appeasement. He called for rescuing American hostages, supporting Israel, imposing more sanctions on Iran, and addressing anti-Semitism within the Democratic ranks.
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