Kevin McCarthy, a favourite of the Republican Party, was elected speaker of the US House of Representatives on Saturday after putting an end to a violent rebellion within his party that had left the lower chamber of Congress paralysed for days.
McCarthy was favourably positioned to be the next speaker of the Republican-controlled House, but a right-wing uprising within his own party nearly prevented him from securing the nomination after winning in the wee hours of the morning and forcing an unprecedented 15 rounds of voting.
The speaker has a lot of power in Washington because he or she runs the House and is second in line for the presidency after the vice president.
McCarthy promised that House Republicans will “pass laws to fix the nation’s concerns, from the wide open southern border to the “America Last” energy policy to woke brainwashing in our classrooms” as he received the gavel.
“Congress must speak with one voice on both of these issues,” he told the House, referring to the debt and the emergence of the Chinese Communist Party as long-term difficulties for America.
McCarthy was thanked by Democratic US President Joe Biden, who also called for collaboration between the two party leaders.
Voters made it plain that they expect Republicans to be ready to work with me as well, and as I stated after the midterm elections, I am prepared to work with Republicans when I can.
Republican party division
McCarthy had hoped to win the gavel in the 14th round of voting before the clock struck midnight on Friday, but he experienced a shocking setback amid astonishing scenes of Republican infighting when he fell short of a majority by just one vote out of more than 400 cast.
McCarthy was denied the gavel by Matt Gaetz’s “present” vote, and the disgruntled Republican leader hurried over to confront the incoming Florida legislator.
Alabama’s Mike Rogers lunged towards Gaetz and had to be restrained by a restraining arm across his face as Gaetz pointed a finger at McCarthy, who started to flee.
Former president Donald Trump said on his Truth Social platform, “The ‘Speaker’ selection process, as insane as it may sound, has made it all much bigger and more important than if done the more conventional way.”
Kevin McCarthy and our great Republican Party deserve congratulations!
McCarthy, who had been backed by Trump, had been blocked by some 20 conservative hardliners since Tuesday, and the Republicans, who have a razor-thin majority, had been embroiled in intraparty fighting as a result.
However, after making significant compromises, the 57-year-old Californian was able to gain more than a dozen votes from the defectors in two afternoon voting rounds on Friday.
READ ALSO: US House is in disarray after Kevin McCarthy was defeated in the speaker election
McCarthy anticipated he would win in the 14th round, but instead he was humiliated by the relentless publicity he received on US television stations. He eventually won in the 15th round.
major alterations
In the contentious 2023 race, there were more voting rounds than in any speaker election since the Civil War.
McCarthy maintained his composure throughout the week, despite losing support from his base of about 200 Republicans, who have always supported him rather than growing it.
With the legislative process in stalemate and Republicans pledging an aggressive agenda of investigations into the majority of Biden’s administration and his family, it is anticipated that his party’s victory in the midterm elections will mark the end of bipartisan cooperation.
Democrats and a few of McCarthy’s backers are worried that he is giving his far-right opponents dramatic policy pledges that would make the House impossible to rule.
He reportedly agreed to propose keeping expenditure at 2022 levels, including a cap on military financing that would have the same impact as a $75 billion cut, according to claims that AFP has not independently verified.
Defense hawks calling for the United States to show strength in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and an empowered Chinese position on Taiwan are alarmed by this.
contaminated chalice?
Budgets cannot be established by a single congressman, no matter how senior, but the fact that the idea was being seriously considered highlights the Republicans’ isolationist shift under Trump’s leadership.
Other new lawmakers complained that McCarthy was giving hardliners prestigious committee appointments and making rule changes that would severely limit the speaker’s ability.
According to reports, the rebel Republicans switched their votes in exchange for modifications to the rules that would allow the speaker to be removed in response to a motion put up by a single member.
Additionally, they demand a significant say in which bills are heard on the floor and how they are handled.
Democrats argued that McCarthy’s compromises will make him the weakest speaker in modern history, making the speaker’s role a poisoned chalice.
