Five takeaways: How McCarthy won the Speakership
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is the new Speaker of the House after an extraordinary week of 15 votes on the House floor that laid the divisions of his conference out for all to see. It ended with the biggest political victory of McCarthy’s career, but the tumult raises questions over how he’ll lead fractious Republicans — and what it will mean for the country when it comes time to fund the government and raise the nation’s debt ceiling. Here are five takeaways on the craziest Speaker’s election anyone alive has ever seen. McCarthy
Read MoreMcCarthy concessions to win Speakership raise eyebrows
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was forced to give in to a series of demands from detractors to win the support necessary to win the Speaker’s gavel after a historic week of failed ballots. While most GOP lawmakers are downplaying the significance of McCarthy’s concessions, the changes — which are designed to empower rank-and-file members at the expense of his own leadership authority — are also raising concerns that they could cripple the governing functions of the lower chamber. One change in particular — which empowers a single lawmaker to launch the process
Read MoreBiden readies '24 campaign launch
President Biden's reelection campaign is preparing to launch. After months of “will he or won’t he,” Biden and his senior aides are readying the details around his 2024 campaign. Multiple sources tell The Hill the president is planning to make his intentions to run for a second White House term public in the coming weeks, likely in February, around the State of the Union. One source close to Biden’s 2020 campaign with knowledge of the president’s plans said a more formal announcement is expected to come in April. Behind the scenes, his adv
Read MoreMcCarthy praises Trump, Gaetz for helping secure Speakership
Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) praised former President Trump and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) for pushing him over the finish line and helping him secure the gavel. He gave the two credit for convincing each of the six remaining Republican holdouts — of which Gaetz was one — to vote “present” on the 15th ballot, lowering the number of votes McCarthy needed to win. “I don’t think anybody should doubt his influence. He was with me from the beginning,” McCarthy said of Trump after the House had adjourned for the weekend. He added the former president was “all in”
Read MoreSpeaker McCarthy has arrived. Now what?
The bitter battle to confirm Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as House Speaker is finally over and the groundwork has been laid for the 118th Congress. But the multiday, historically long process laid bare the divisions and potential issues McCarthy and House Republicans face as they seek to pass legislation, launch investigations and get reelected in two years. So what lies ahead for McCarthy, the GOP and Democrats? Here are six things to watch as Speaker McCarthy takes his seat: How much did the Speaker battle weaken McCarthy?
Read More