Republican lawmakers hear from candidates hoping to replace Kevin McCarthy

McHenry dodges reporters

McHenry declined to speak with reporters after leaving the chamber.

McHenry gavels in House pro forma session

Interim speaker Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., opened the floor for a pro forma session of the House. He quickly adjourned.

White House and lawmakers weigh linking Ukraine and Israel aid

Monica Alba

The Biden administration and key lawmakers in Congress are actively discussing whether aid to Israel could be linked to more funding for Ukraine as a strategy to pass both spending priorities, according to an administration official and two pro-Ukraine Republican lawmakers.

Lawmakers in both parties who support additional aid for Ukraine have suggested the approach as a potential way to secure funding for Kyiv despite opposition from some Republican members in the House and the Senate.

A group of House conservatives has steadfastly opposed new funding for Ukraine, which the White House has requested, and the issue is sure to be a factor in the GOP conference’s high-stakes leadership elections this week. Additional aid for Israel in the wake of Hamas’ brutal attack on Israelis is seen as less likely to face such a struggle in Congress.

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Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan face a tense and divided GOP in House speaker fight

The Republicans vying to be the next House speaker will make their case to GOP lawmakers on Tuesday, the first formal step to settle a race triggered a week ago after an internal revolt ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and left the chamber leaderless.

Tensions are high, and the two declared candidates have already split the conference. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., has secured some endorsements from center-right and swing district members, and right-wing firebrand Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, snagged the support of former President Donald Trump and various House conservatives.

A GOP candidate will need to win a simple majority of the House to be elected speaker — at least 217 of the 221 Republicans (no Democrats are expected to join Republicans and there are currently two empty seats in the House). It’s unclear when that vote would take place, and it could again be a messy process like the 15 rounds of voting it took McCarthy to win the gavel.

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Israel-Hamas war adds new urgency to House speaker fight

The House of Representatives remains leaderless with an intraparty Republican fight over who should be the next speaker overshadowed by Hamas’ brutal attack on close U.S. ally Israel, which quickly escalated into war.

It’s an unprecedented moment that adds urgency to an already challenging week as fractured House Republicans try to agree on who should succeed Kevin McCarthy after they ousted him from power six days ago.

The already tense internal GOP conflict grew more complicated over the weekend when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack on Israel, which has killed more than 700 people, including at least nine Americans. Israel declared war against Hamas, launching strikes in Gaza that have killed hundreds more.

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