The contest to succeed the ousted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy began to take shape on Wednesday as Steve Scalise, the second-ranking Republican in the chamber, and Jim Jordan, a prominent adversary of Democratic President Joe Biden, both announced their intentions to vie for the position.
This competition may potentially feature several other contenders, leading to a protracted and contentious battle to fill the House Speaker role in a chamber where Republicans hold the majority.
The historic removal of McCarthy on Tuesday, instigated by a rebellious faction within the Republican Party, marked the first time the House has unseated its leader from a position that ranks second in line to the presidency, following the vice president.
Republicans have scheduled a vote for October 11 to select a successor and are set to convene a day prior to listening to the candidates.
The leadership battle is encroaching on the time available to lawmakers for critical tasks, such as extending government spending before the November 18 deadline and updating programs related to farm subsidies and nutrition, among other legislative duties.
Scalise, aged 57, who has been undergoing treatment for cancer, has long been considered McCarthy's heir apparent and has been conducting private meetings with Republicans to garner support for his candidacy. He is perceived as more conservative than McCarthy.
In 2017, Scalise was severely wounded when a man critical of Republicans on social media shot him and other party lawmakers during a baseball game practice.
"We all need to come together and pull in the same direction to get the country back on the right track," Scalise wrote in a letter addressed to Republicans.
Jordan, aged 59, a former college wrestler who has led investigations into the Biden administration, initially gained prominence as a leader of the party's right-wing faction before eventually forming an alliance with McCarthy. He is known for eschewing suit jackets and is an outspoken supporter of former President Donald Trump.
In his capacity as the chair of the Judiciary Committee, he is involved in an impeachment inquiry against Biden and has engaged in conflicts with state prosecutors pursuing criminal cases against Trump.
"We can focus on the changes that improve the country and unite us in offering real solutions. But no matter what we do, we must do it together as a conference," Jordan wrote to Republicans.
However, both Scalise and Jordan face potential challenges. Jordan is seen by some moderates as being too far to the right and by some hardliners as too close to McCarthy. Scalise is perceived by McCarthy's allies as having offered no assistance during the leadership challenge and faces questions about his physical capability to fulfill the role, as mentioned by an anonymous Republican lawmaker.
Representative Kevin Hern, who leads a policy group for conservative lawmakers, also revealed that he was contemplating a bid.
"I think we need to be pointing our guns outward, not at each other," he conveyed to reporters.
Currently, Representative Patrick McHenry is serving as the interim speaker following McCarthy's removal.
Rank-and-file Republicans are said to be assessing their options. "Everybody's just taking a breath and in listening mode, without any serious commitments," remarked Republican Representative Dan Crenshaw.
McCarthy's ouster is the latest factor that has raised concerns on Wall Street about the governance of U.S. politics. It follows a near-miss with a partial federal government shutdown over the weekend and a previous standoff earlier this year that brought the U.S. government to the brink of default. Alongside concerns about interest rates, these issues have contributed to a sustained sell-off in government bonds.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday revealed that two-thirds of Americans believe Washington politicians are unable to set aside their partisan differences and fulfill their responsibilities.
The role of House Speaker has proven challenging for Republicans in recent years. The previous Republican speaker, Paul Ryan, retired from Congress after grappling with difficulties while working with fellow Republican President Trump. His predecessor, John Boehner, departed after clashing with the party's right-wing faction.
Some Republicans contend that they need to alter the chamber's rules to make it more challenging to remove a speaker. McCarthy had agreed to lower the threshold to permit any single member to challenge his leadership bid as a condition for securing support for the position in January, thereby setting the stage for Representative Matt Gaetz to mount a challenge.
"Whoever is going to get my vote for speaker is going to have to explain to me how what happened yesterday never happens again," asserted Republican Representative Kelly Armstrong.
The entire House, encompassing both Republicans and Democrats, participates in the speaker selection process, with the chosen individual serving in the role until early January 2025, unless removed before then. Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries is anticipated to contest against any Republican candidate nominated by the party conference, as he did in January.
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