While House Republicans tear themselves apart trying to out-MAGA each other, the world is watching — and Americans are looking for adults in the room to respond to crises we face at home and abroad. This moment requires strong, unwavering leadership, not the drama, dysfunction, and division that comes from a House chaos conference taking its cues from Donald Trump.

House Republicans met yesterday to choose a new speaker, only to have their chaos and dysfunction once again stand in the way of even beginning to think about delivering for the American people.

The Messenger: “GOP Groundhog Day: No Speaker, No Consensus, No End in Sight”

CNN: “The House Republican Party is sliding even deeper into disarray as it feuds over its next speaker, apparently oblivious to the picture of US government dysfunction it is sending at a moment of worsening global crises.

“GOP lawmakers did select Steve Scalise as their nominee for the job that is second in the line of presidential succession on Wednesday. But by nightfall it was clear the Louisiana Republican and current majority leader was struggling to find the votes he needs to secure the gavel during a floor vote.”

Associated Press: “A floor vote of the whole House was expected but then abandoned by nightfall. Tensions are still running high among Republicans and the House is at a standstill amid bitter infighting after McCarthy’s stunning removal last week. The House was gaveled into a brief session, then closed, with next steps uncertain.

Jennifer Bendery, HuffPost: “It’s almost as if Republicans had no plan whatsoever after ejecting their own party leader and bringing the House of Representatives to a standstill.”

Associated Press: “Internal conflicts and power struggles have become hallmarks of the modern GOP”

House Republicans’ inability to govern is paralyzing Congress at a time when action is needed to support our allies abroad.

USA Today: “House Republicans risk long fight for speaker as Israel-Hamas war rages”

Jake Sherman, Punchbowl News: “‘I see a lot of threats out there. One of the biggest threats I see is in that room,’ [House Republican and Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul] said of the House Republican Conference. ‘So it’s very dangerous what we’re doing, and I just wanted them to know that. we’re playing with fire.’”

Newsweek: “Personal grudges and party infighting have left House Republicans with their hands tied while the rest of Washington scrambles to respond to the deadly fighting in Israel and Gaza.”

Associated Press: “It’s an extraordinary moment of political chaos at a time of uncertainty at home and crisis abroad, moving into a second week without a House speaker. Just 10 months after Republicans swept to power aspiring to operate as a team and run government more like a business, the GOP majority has drifted far from that goal.”

Take it from House Republicans themselves — their conference is incapable of governing. 

House Republican Dusty Johnson: “Frankly … It’s been every week around here. … It’s been really, really hard for this Republican House to govern. … Clearly this does not look good for the House or for the country.”

Speaker candidate Steve Scalise: “We have a lot of work to do.”

House Republican member: “[Scalise] has no path to 217.”

McCaul: “We need to govern and we can’t govern without a speaker. … The longer we play games with this … that only emboldens our adversaries like Chairman Xi (who) talks about how democracy doesn’t work. Putin loves this, the Ayatollah loves this.”

USA Today: “McCarthy, speaking to reporters outside the candidate forum, said there was a need to elect a new speaker to get the House moving again to act on Israel. ”
House Republican Anthony D’Esposito: “I think that this is a priority for the American people and to (the) continuity of government. … It shouldn’t depend on current events. It should depend on the fact that we want to get our government back in action.”