Washington DC, United States.- The Republican Opposition assumes control of the United States House of Representatives on Tuesday, determined to confront Democratic President Joe Biden, but first it must resolve dissent within its own ranks.
The Republican Kevin McCarthy will have to overcome the Opposition of the conservatives to win the presidency of the Lower House.
The 57-year-old California Republican is widely favored to replace Democrat Nancy Pelosi, making him second in line for the Presidency.
However, with a slim majority in the House and Democrats almost certain to unanimously oppose him, McCarthy must secure near-total support among Republicans to win the top job.
McCarthy needs at least 218 votes. Without a speaker, the House cannot fully form, appointing its committee chairs, participating in floor proceedings and launching the Biden Administration investigations that are expected to be central to the Republican agenda.
The showdown could well turn into a protracted fight on the floor of the House, a spectacle that divides the Republican Party, weakens its leadership and consumes the first days of the new Congress.
“This is much more important than just one person,” said Doug Heye, a former senior aide to Republican leadership. “It’s about whether the Republicans will be able to govern.”
House Republicans met behind closed doors in the morning before plenary session as newly elected lawmakers arrived for what is traditionally a day of celebration.
Members of the new Congress were preparing to be sworn in in the House of Representatives and the Senate to begin the two-year legislative session.
A new generation of Trump-aligned Republicans is leading the Opposition to McCarthy, inspired by the former President’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again.”
They don’t think McCarthy is conservative or tough enough to fight the Democrats. It’s reminiscent of the last time the Republicans regained a majority after the 2010 midterm elections, when the conservative Tea Party generation ushered in a new era of heavy-handed politics, ultimately sending the Speaker of the House, John Boehner, to an early retirement.
