The House Republicans are currently in a state of disarray, having ousted their speaker and rejected two potential replacements, without a clear plan for resolving the crisis. This situation has led to a standstill in the House, preventing it from passing critical bills and even basic resolutions.
Nine new candidates have emerged for the speaker position after Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and Majority Leader Steve Scalise withdrew their bids. However, none of them have yet shown the ability to secure the 217 votes needed to claim the position. The ongoing infighting within the GOP has created new conflicts and calls for retribution, making the task of restoring functionality to the House seem nearly impossible.
The lack of a speaker is causing significant issues, as the Senate cannot pass laws without the other chamber. This situation is more than just typical congressional drama; it’s preventing important debates and decisions from taking place, such as supporting Israel with a new aid request from President Joe Biden or discussing new Ukraine funding.
The absence of a speaker could soon start to impact millions of Americans. The GOP has already lost three weeks that could have been used to resolve a spending showdown that could lead to a government shutdown by mid-November. Even if a new leader is chosen quickly, it’s unlikely that much progress will be made this week.
