In the turbulent race for the presidency of the US House of Representatives, Republicans narrowly chose hardliner Jim Jordan as the new candidate in internal elections. But there is already resistance. His freestyle is therefore uncertain.
According to consistent reports in the American media, the confidant of former President Donald Trump received 124 votes in the closed-door parliamentary group meeting on Friday. However, 55 Republicans announced they would not support him in the general election.
The majority cannot be predicted
To actually become chairman of the House of Representatives, he would need the votes of an absolute majority, i.e. 217 MPs, in a vote in the plenary meeting. If, as expected, he is unanimously rejected by the 213 Democrats, at most four of the 222 Republicans in the Senate are likely to vote against him.
However, in a test vote among Republicans, only 152 MPs said they would support him in a plenary vote, 55 voted against the staunch conservative and one person abstained.
The opposing candidate in the Republican internal vote was the largely unknown Austin Scott from Georgia, who surprisingly declared his candidacy. He came out of the gate with 81 votes.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last week became the first President of Congress in American history to be voted out of office. The party had initially chosen right-wing conservative Steve Scalise as a possible successor for the third most important office in the state, but because he also did not win the necessary majority, he withdrew his candidacy on Thursday evening.
Congress cannot act
It is unclear when the House of Representatives will vote on the presidency and whether Republicans will find a candidate with a majority by then. As long as the House has no leaders, observers say a vote on aid packages for the military conflicts in Ukraine and Israel is unlikely.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
