(New York) What was to be the apotheosis of California Republican Representative Kevin McCarthy’s political career and the beginning of a new majority in the House of Representatives can be summed up in two words: humiliation and chaos.
For the first time in 100 years, the lower house of the US Congress proved unable to elect a president after a first ballot, held early Tuesday afternoon. At the end of the afternoon, after two other unsuccessful ballots, she decided to adjourn the procedure until Wednesday noon, not seeing the possibility of accomplishing in a single day what is usually a formality.
A rebellion led by 19 ultra-conservative representatives from the new Republican majority transformed this first working session of the 118e Congress into a humiliating nightmare for Kevin McCarthy, who has dreamed since his youth of being President of the House, one of the most influential and powerful positions in Washington.
This revolt has also revealed the deep divisions that are tearing the party to which American voters have entrusted the reins of the House during the midterm elections. The chaotic and confusing spectacle surrounding the election of the “speaker” has also put a damper on other activities that mark the opening of a new Congress, including the swearing in of representatives and the adoption of rules of bedroom.
La minceur de la majorité républicaine explique en partie les ennuis de Kevin McCarthy, qui est candidat à la présidence de la Chambre pour la deuxième fois de sa carrière. En vertu des résultats du rendez-vous électoral de novembre dernier, les républicains contrôlent 222 sièges à la Chambre, sur un total de 435.
Or, pour être élu à la succession de Nancy Pelosi, Kevin McCarthy avait besoin de 218 voix – si tous les représentants présents votaient. Hélas pour lui, lors des trois scrutins de mardi, il n’est jamais parvenu à récolter plus de 203 voix républicaines, les autres votes de son camp allant à d’autres candidats.
PHOTO ALEX BRANDON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hakeem Jeffries
À l’opposé, toutes les voix démocrates sont allées au candidat de la nouvelle minorité, le représentant de l’État de New York Hakeem Jeffries, qui a ainsi ajouté à l’humiliation de Kevin McCarthy en remportant la pluralité des votes, soit 212, lors de chacun des scrutins.
Le représentant républicain d’Ohio Jim Jordan a par ailleurs remporté tous les votes des représentants rebelles de son groupe, dont le nombre est passé de 19 à 20 lors des deuxième et troisième scrutins.
PHOTO ALEX BRANDON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jim Jordan
Forte opposition
« Kevin McCarthy ne sera pas président de la Chambre », a déclaré le représentant républicain de Virginie Bob Good, l’un des rebelles.
Son collègue républicain de Floride Matt Gaetz a utilisé un langage plus imagé pour expliquer son opposition au chef des républicains de la Chambre.
« Si vous voulez assécher le marécage, vous ne pouvez pas mettre le plus gros alligator aux commandes de l’exercice », a-t-il dit avant la tenue du premier scrutin.
PHOTO ALEX BRANDON, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Matt Gaetz, représentant républicain de Floride
Comme les représentants Bob Good et Matt Gaetz, les autres rebelles républicains sont issus du Freedom Caucus, groupe ultraconservateur de la Chambre dont certains membres ont épaulé Donald Trump dans ses efforts pour changer les résultats de l’élection présidentielle de 2020.
N’empêche, Kevin McCarthy n’a pas donné l’impression de vouloir abandonner la lutte.
« Je reste jusqu’à ce que nous gagnions », a-t-il déclaré aux journalistes entre les deuxième et troisième votes. « Je connais la voie. »
Des appuis
Dans ce combat, Kevin McCarthy jouit de l’appui de certains collègues républicains qui ne sont pas moins radicaux que les Bob Good ou Matt Gaetz. Figurent parmi eux la représentante de Géorgie,Marjorie Taylor Greene et le représentant Jim Jordan, qui a été mis en nomination par Matt Gaetz lui-même comme candidat à la présidence de la Chambre.
« Nous devons nous rassembler autour de [Kevin McCarthy]unite us, ”said Jim Jordan, who expressed his disinterest in the position of Speaker of the House.
But Kevin McCarthy has probably lost support that once seemed dear to him. A few weeks ago, Donald Trump told Republican representatives that the elected representative from California had “deserved the chance” to prove what he was capable of as Speaker of the House. After Tuesday’s polls, he no longer seemed so sure of the one he once called “my Kevin”.
“We will see what happens. We’ll see how it all works,” the former president said in a brief phone interview with an NBC reporter.
Kevin McCarthy had made a sort of pact with Donald Trump after criticizing him for his role in the January 6, 2021 assault on the Capitol. Three weeks later, he had traveled to Mar-a-Lago to try to appease the former president and enlist his help in winning a majority in the House in 2022.
The pact appears to be backfiring on Kevin McCarthy. The thin Republican majority in the House is partly due to the large number of Trumpist candidates who were defeated last November.
This narrow majority also allows the most MAGA representatives to threaten their leader. But it’s hard to know what exactly the rebels want.
“I don’t think they all have the same goals,” argued Antoine Yoshinaka, a political scientist at the State University of New York at Buffalo and congressional expert. “But it does appear that there are personal differences between McCarthy and some of his opponents. Matt Gaetz is one example. »
For others, it may be other procedural concessions that may change their minds. But McCarthy has already given them almost everything.
Antoine Yoshinaka, political scientist
In fact, if he manages to be elected to the presidency of the Chamber, Kevin McCarthy will have already yielded part of his authority to the ultraconservatives of his group. One of his concessions would allow five representatives at any time to call for a vote to remove the Speaker of the House from office.
“It will be a weakened presidency,” Professor Yoshinaka said. And after today’s votes, the extremist wing demonstrates that it will not hesitate to oppose the leadership. If the Republicans elect another of their own, that person will also have to deal with the extremist wing… and the moderate wing. »
In 2015, Kevin McCarthy withdrew his candidacy for Speaker of the House before the first ballot was held, having concluded that he did not have the necessary support. He could come to the same conclusion after other unsuccessful polls. Who could then play the role of a Paul Ryan, the candidate who in 2015 rallied the most conservative and the most moderate of the Republican group?
Like other experts, Antoine Yoshinaka mentions the name of Louisiana representative Steve Scalise, number two in the Republican group.
“His past with the Tea Party gives him some credibility with the Trumpists. But he’s been the whip since 2014, so he’s part of the establishment and the leadership. Will it play against him with those who want renewal? I would put my little $2 on it, but no more. »