Democracy Dies in Darkness

House Republicans brace for drawn-out speaker fight

Kevin McCarthy says he’s willing to return as House speaker as Republicans begin to assess how they might be able to offer aid to Israel

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Updated October 9, 2023 at 9:41 p.m. EDT|Published October 9, 2023 at 9:52 a.m. EDT
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said that the House Republican conference would determine the next speaker during a news conference on Oct. 9. (Video: The Washington Post)
10 min

House Republicans are settling in for what many expect to be a drawn-out and contentious fight for the speaker’s gavel this week, with simmering internal conflicts muddying the path forward for the two declared candidates.

Less than a week after an intraparty clash that saw Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) removed as speaker of the House, Republicans returned to the Capitol on Monday under increased pressure to coalesce around a leader so that the House can begin work to provide aid to Israel after Hamas-backed attacks left hundreds dead and prompted Israel to declare war. Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick T. McHenry (R-N.C.) doesn’t have much authority to do anything besides oversee the election of a new speaker. But some Republicans also have begun back-channel talks with some Democrats to see if both parties could find a way to give McHenry more authority if Republicans cannot coalesce around a speaker this week.