U.S. House votes new speaker
McCarthy fell victim to sharp divisions between Republican moderates and a small core of far-right backers of former President Donald Trump
Daily TribuneMcCarthy fell victim to sharp divisions between Republican moderates and a small core of far-right backers of former President Donald Trump
Cloudy skies hang over the dome of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. The full House of Representatives is expected to vote Tuesday on the replacement of Kevin McCarthy who was ousted as Speaker of the House. | Kent Nishimura/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
The US House of Representatives, paralyzed for the past two weeks amid a leadership fight among Republicans, will vote Tuesday in its latest attempt to elect a speaker, members were told Sunday.
The blockage in the House for one of the most powerful positions in US politics — second in line to the presidency — has few precedents. Members have grown increasingly frustrated as the absence of a speaker has prevented action on key spending measures and kept the chamber from reacting to crises like the Israel — Hamas war.
While a temporary speaker, Patrick McHenry, was named after the surprise ouster on 3 October of Kevin McCarthy, his replacement has few real powers.
McCarthy fell victim to sharp divisions between Republican moderates and a small core of far-right backers of former president Donald Trump.
After a tense week marked by several reversals, Ohio lawmaker Jim Jordan, a former wrestling coach who is close to Trump, is currently the only announced candidate for the job — but he appears far from having the needed backing to be elected to the powerful post.
The vote Tuesday is set for noon, its outcome far from certain.
"It's time to get to work," Jordan said on X, the former Twitter, as he urged his colleagues to bury their differences and rally around his candidacy.
Hamas's surprise attack on Israel, a historic ally of the US, has added to the pressure for a new speaker.
With AFP
