House Republicans who opposed the removal of Speaker Kevin McCarthy expressed concern that a leaderless House would be unable to effectively respond to crises. This concern was heightened when Hamas militants attacked Israel, leading Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare war. Republicans are now angry at the rebels in their party for rendering Congress ineffective during a critical time. Representative Michael McCaul of Texas criticized the lack of governance and questioned the message it sends to adversaries. Representative Mike Lawler of New York called the removal of McCarthy “idiotic” and urged for his reinstatement. Republicans are now searching for McCarthy’s successor, with Representative Steve Scalise and Representative Jim Jordan emerging as leading candidates. Both are viewed as more conservative than McCarthy.
On Fox News, Jordan pledged to support Israel and give them what they need to win, while Scalise emphasized that the United States stands with Israel. Additional funds may be required, and the House would need to elect a new speaker to address this. Top Democrat Representative Hakeem Jeffries called for Republicans to agree on a speaker so that they can address both domestic issues and support for Israel. House Republicans plan to hold a closed-door meeting to hear from the candidates, with a floor vote expected on Wednesday.
Throughout the weekend, some of McCarthy’s staff members criticized the members who removed him from his position, highlighting the paralysis in Congress without a House speaker. Representative Matt Gaetz, who led the rebellion, denied causing chaos and paralysis and stated that he would support the candidate favored by most Republicans.