Dhe Republican Kevin McCarthy also failed in the fourth ballot in his attempt to become “speaker” of the House of Representatives. 20 Republicans did not vote for their parliamentary group leader in the second session of Congress on Wednesday. Because of the narrow majority in the House of Representatives, there can be a maximum of four dissenting votes for a McCarthy victory.
According to American media reports, McCarthy and his supporters had considered adjourning the second session of Congress in order to avoid further publicly weakening the faction leader and to gain time for talks. However, the vote would also have required a majority of 218 votes, which McCarthy probably would not have had. Five Republicans told Politico news magazine in advance that they planned to oppose such a motion.
In the first vote on Wednesday, Rep. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin went to nominate McCarthy for the election. “People’s frustration is increasing,” Gallagher said. They all knew that there was a lot to do. But democracy is inherently chaotic – “that’s a feature, not a flaw, of our system.”
Rep. Chip Roy, an open opponent of McCarthy, nominated Florida’s Byron Donalds as the Republican opposition candidate. He dedicated his life to America’s progress. Roy said the country needs leadership that doesn’t come from Washington. The city is “completely broken.” McCarthy has been in the Republican party leadership for 14 years and represents the party’s establishment.
criticism from the Democrats
Before the second session of Congress, former President Donald Trump called on Republicans more clearly than before to vote for McCarthy on Wednesday. “Don’t turn a great victory into a huge and embarrassing defeat,” he wrote on his social network Truth Social. McCarthy will do a good job, “maybe even a great one”. Most of the twenty or so MPs who initially refused to support McCarthy question the legality of the 2020 presidential election, just like Trump.
Congressional Democrats criticized the Republicans’ argument before the second session of Congress. At a press conference Wednesday morning, Democrat second man Rep. Pete Aguilar said, “This is a crisis of Congress. A crisis created by the dysfunctionality of the Republicans.” The fact that the representatives are not yet sworn in and cannot yet start their work is the result of the Republican chaos.
President Joe Biden said in Washington on Wednesday that the Republicans’ protracted dispute was “embarrassing” and not making a good impression on the world. He hopes they settle him soon.
Without a Speaker, the House of Representatives cannot begin its work. Only when the third-highest political office in the United States has been filled will the new MPs be sworn in. In November’s congressional elections, Republicans won a slim majority in the First Chamber; 222 Republicans face 212 Democrats.
