Topline
When asked about the recent chaos in the House of Representatives on CBS’ Face the Nation, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) wouldn’t back a nominee for House speaker and said he’s “not an expert on the House”—but hopes Republicans figure it out soon.
“I have my hands full here in the Senate,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said when … [+]
Key Facts
McConnell told CBS’ Margaret Brennan he has his “hands full here in the Senate,” but added he hopes the “House can get functional here sometime soon.”
On Friday, Republicans removed Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) as their nominee for House speaker after he lost his third ballot—losing more votes each time—which restarted the process for getting a House speaker in place.
Brennan also pushed McConnell on who he thought could “lead the Republican Party, not just in the House, but to deliver on (his) vision,” to which McConnell said it’s typically the candidate for president, but because they don’t “know who that’s going to be,” he’s not going to “dabble” in election speculation, calling it unproductive.
Key Background
Almost three weeks ago, eight far-right Republicans led by Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz overpowered the majority of the conference to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as speaker after he worked with Democrats to pass a short-term budget in the House and avoid a shutdown. Jordan, a polarizing figure in the House who Democrats say has refused to acknowledge Trump lost the 2020 presidential election, was elected to be the speaker designate just one day after Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.)—who first won the party’s nomination—dropped out. Republicans voting against Jordan cited a number of reasons, ranging from his role helping Trump argue the 2020 election results to allegations of a pressure campaign by Jordan’s allies to flip those against him. The inability of the House to elect a speaker at a time where there is a looming November deadline to keep the government open and pass funding bills highlights the deep division in the Republican conference.
What To Watch For
Republicans are now back to the drawing board to designate a new speaker nominee. They will reportedly have a candidate forum Monday night, according to ABC News, followed by a secret ballot vote on Tuesday morning. As of Saturday, almost a dozen Republicans had entered the race, including House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.).
Tangent
McConnell also took time on the Sunday morning show to address his health. Brennan asked how McConnell was doing, to which he replied he is “fine” and “completely recovered.” Earlier this year, McConnell had two public moments in which he froze during press conferences, seemingly unable to continue speaking. A congressional doctor has since cleared him to continue serving, though, saying there was no evidence of “a seizure disorder,” a stroke “or movement disorder such as Parkinson’s disease.”
