The Republican leadership problem is getting worse. It’s causing big issues in the US government, making it hard to do important things like pay for the government and deal with security problems.
For 17 days, there’s been a big problem in the US government. The leader of the Republican party, Kevin McCarthy, was removed by some very conservative members. But nobody else from the Republican party has enough support to take his place. This is causing one of the worst issues in Washington for a long time.
They tried to choose a new leader, Jim Jordan, but he couldn’t get enough votes, even after three tries. This shows that the party is having a hard time working together. Because of this, they can’t give President Biden the money he asked for – $106 billion, mostly for helping Ukraine and Israel with their military needs.
The people in charge say they’ll talk more on Monday to figure out who should lead the party. They might announce some potential leaders on Sunday.
“We need to come together and figure out who our speaker is going to be,” Jordan told reporters as he confirmed the end of his bid for the gavel, which places the holder second in line to the presidency.
“I’m going to work as hard as I can to help that individual so that we can go help the American people. And I’m also going to get back to work.”
Despite backing from former president and leading 2024 Republican hopeful Donald Trump, Jordan was defeated by 25 colleagues from his own side who joined every Democrat to deny him the gavel for the third time in four days.
‘Lives will be jeopardized’
“We’re in a very bad place right now,” McCarthy admitted after the latest setback, days after predicting that his one-time adversary would win the first ballot.
With the contest resetting next week, at least seven of Jordan’s colleagues were considering throwing their hat in the ring.
The names brought up by multiple lawmakers—largely technocrats who lack the profile of Jordan and other stars of the Republican right—included a pair of committee chairmen and two congressmen who are already members of the leadership.
“We must unify and do it fast,” said Kevin Hern, chairman of the deeply conservative Republican Study Committee and a leading early contender, said in a statement.
“I’ve spoken to every member of the conference over the last few weeks. We need a different type of leader who has a proven track record of success, which is why I’m running for speaker of the House.”
Jordan, a deeply divisive figure in his own party, had seen his vote share weaken with each successive ballot.
The 59-year-old former champion wrestler was asked about Biden’s aid request during a press conference as he sought to rally support for his floundering campaign ahead of the third vote.
“We can’t do that—can’t vote on that, can’t pass anything in that—until we get the House open,” he said.
Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries called for a bipartisan choice for speaker, calling Jordan a “clear and present danger to our democracy.”
“We have to get the House reopened. It’s my expectation that the Senate will begin to act on President Biden’s national security package sooner rather than later,” he told reporters after the vote.
“But if the House is not reopened, then it will stall unnecessarily and lives will be jeopardized. This is a serious situation.”
SOURCE:FRANCE24