04/10/2023 – 21:57
The race for the seat of President of the United States House of Representatives is open. After the fall of Republican Kevin McCarthy, two names emerge as candidates. The first is Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican. The other is Jim Jordan, one of Democratic President Joe Biden’s main antagonists.
The two deputies could be joined by several other candidates in a possibly long and confusing battle to fill the position in the Chamber, where Republicans hold a narrow majority, 221 against 212 Democrats. Meanwhile, the House is paralyzed. Republicans have scheduled the vote to choose a successor for October 11 and are expected to meet the day before to hear their candidates.
Historic fall
The president of the United States House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, was removed from office with 216 votes in favor and 210 against. Eight Republicans voted along with 208 Democrats, who refused to help the then president.
The rebellion was led by Representative Matt Gaetz, a far-right Florida Republican and McCarthy antagonist, who accused the party leader of not doing enough to reduce federal spending.
Candidates
Scalise, 57, who has been receiving treatment for cancer, has long been considered McCarthy’s natural heir and has been meeting privately with Republicans to drum up support for his candidacy. He is seen as more conservative than McCarthy.
He was seriously injured in 2017 when a man who had criticized Republicans on social media shot him and other Republican lawmakers as they practiced for a baseball game.
Jordan, 59, a combative conservative former college wrestler from Ohio, led investigations into the Biden administration and rose to prominence as a vocal leader of the party’s right wing before forming an alliance with McCarthy. He is known for eschewing suit jackets and a prominent supporter of former President Donald Trump.
As chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he is involved in the Biden impeachment investigation and has engaged with state prosecutors who have brought criminal cases against Trump.
Jordan is seen by some moderates as having gone too far to the right, and by some radicals as too close to McCarthy. Scalise is seen by McCarthy’s allies as having done nothing to help him during the leadership challenge and faces questions about his physical fitness to perform the job, according to a Republican lawmaker who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Other potential candidates are Kevin Hern and Patrick McHenry. The latter is temporarily serving as speaker of the House following McCarthy’s removal.
*with information from Reuters Agency
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