US Congress: Electoral chaos among US Republicans – and now Trump is getting involved

Chaos in the US Congress: After several failed elections, the US House of Representatives will continue to vote on the most powerful position in the US Parliament on Wednesday. On Tuesday, Republican Kevin McCarthy missed the required majority in the House of Representatives elections three times, due to his party colleagues’ refusal to support him. For the 57-year-old, this is a historic defeat and a public appearance.

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Former US President Donald Trump intervened on Wednesday, calling on his party colleagues to avoid losing face and electing McCarthy to the post. However, it was not entirely clear whether the rebels within the party would be able to change their minds.

After the parliamentary elections in November, Congress met for the first time in a new constellation on Tuesday. Republicans have taken control of the House of Representatives – in the Senate, the Democrats, headed by President Joe Biden, still have a slim majority.

The Republicans actually have a majority

The start of a new legislative term has been overshadowed by the Republicans’ bitter infighting for leadership in the House of Representatives: It is the first time in a hundred years that an election has required more than one attempt and no faction has elected its own candidate for office. In the first round.

With a slim majority, McCarthy needs nearly every vote in the House. If all MPs are present and vote, he needs 218 votes. On the first two attempts, he fell by only 203 votes – on the third even 202. He received fewer votes than his Democratic rival Hakeem Jeffries. Republican lawmakers spoke of “chaos” after the ballot.

McCarthy’s opposition comes from the right margin of the faction. On Wednesday, Trump tried to talk opponents into conscientiousness. He implored his fellow party members: “Do not turn a great victory into a great and embarrassing defeat.” McCarthy will do a good job, “maybe a great job.”

Trump had already expressed support for McCarthy before the election, but that did not stop the campaign against him.

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But right-wing Trump supporters in the Republican faction favor Congressman Jim Jordan. And he had already filed for the election on Tuesday and coaxed votes from McCarthy. After the collapse in the vote, Jordan confirmed that he himself did not want to become Speaker of the House. The right wing should not be a viable compromise candidate for many in the party either.