The House GOP leadership fight is turning into a battle royale
With a Democratic House victory in the books, Republican members of Congress are stepping up for their next fight: winning leadership over their shrunken coalition.
Republicans will relinquish their House speakership to a Democrat come January, likely to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). With Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) retiring after this term, Republicans could easily trade their majority positions for a minority equivalent. That would put House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) atop of the GOP caucus — but not if Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) has anything to say about it.
Jordan launched his candidacy for speaker back in July, presuming Republicans would still lead the House in 2019. Since then, Ohio State University wrestlers have alleged that, as their former coach, Jordan ignored reports that a team doctor was molesting them. That seemingly hasn't deterred Jordan, who denies the claims, as he reaffirmed he'd still run for minority leader in a Wednesday Hill.TV interview. Ryan has indicated support for McCarthy, and Fox News suggests Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) will resume his role on the minority side.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Meanwhile, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) has announced she'll run for the third-ranking spot as House Republican Conference chair, reports The Washington Examiner. The daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney was encouraged by Republican leaders to aim for the spot, a source told CNN, and it could lead her to a bigger role in the Republican Party.
President Trump hasn't hinted at what Republicans he'd like to see lead the House, but he did give Pelosi a somewhat glowing endorsement on Wednesday morning.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
A ‘golden age’ of nuclear powerThe Explainer The government is promising to ‘fire up nuclear power’. Why, and how?
-
Massacre in Darfur: the world looked the other wayTalking Point Atrocities in El Fasher follow decades of repression of Sudan’s black African population
-
Trump’s trade war: has China won?Talking Point US president wanted to punish Beijing, but the Asian superpower now holds the whip hand
-
Has Zohran Mamdani shown the Democrats how to win again?Today’s Big Question New York City mayoral election touted as victory for left-wing populists but moderate centrist wins elsewhere present more complex path for Democratic Party
-
Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax
-
Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch
-
Shutdown stalemate nears key pain pointsSpeed Read A federal employee union called for the Democrats to to stand down four weeks into the government standoff
-
Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
