House Speaker Paul Ryan threw his weight behind Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as a replacement for when he retires from his position in January.
The Wisconsin Republican told NBC Friday that “Kevin’s the right guy to step up.” Although, it’s unclear how much Ryan’s endorsement would boost McCarthy’s prospects.
The Majority Leader jockeyed to replace former Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) in 2015 but abruptly bowed out of the race, citing a potential lack of support from the party at the time, particularly from the conservative Freedom Caucus.
And Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) thinks that even with Ryan’s backing this time, McCarthy may get a little *déjà vu*.
“Given the extraordinary fracture that exists in the Republican caucus between the more normal Republicans and the Freedom Caucus, it’s nearly an impossible task,” Gramendi told Cheddar Friday.
Additionally, half of the district that McCarthy represents relies on Medicaid, which is something the GOP wants to cut. Taking the party position as Speaker could damage McCarthy’s standing with his constituents, said Garamendi.
Ryan announced earlier this week he would not seek re-election, leaving the Republican party scrambling to find a replacement. Other potential candidates for Speaker include Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), who was shot at a congressional baseball practice last year, and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), who heads the Freedom Caucus.
But that’s only part of the party’s problem. Ryan’s retirement also suggests that the GOP could find it tough to hold onto its majority in the House at the midterm elections.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/rep-garamendi-d-ca-president-trump-is-destroying-the-american-government).
Fending off a U.S. default, the Senate gave final approval late Thursday to a debt ceiling and budget cuts package, grinding into the night to wrap up work on the bipartisan deal and send it to President Joe Biden's desk to become law before the fast-approaching deadline.
He wasn't hurt and later joked that he "got sandbagged."
Canada will soon become the first country in the world where warning labels must appear on individual cigarettes.
Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday that federal agencies are taking new steps to stop racial discrimination in appraising home values by proposing a rule intended to ensure that the automated formulas used to price housing are fair.
Centrist Democrats and Republicans pushed it to approval over blowback from conservatives and some progressives. The Senate is expected to act quickly by the end of the week.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that two state laws banning abortion are unconstitutional, but the procedure remains illegal in the state in nearly all cases except life-threatening situations.
A New York City police officer is speaking out against the use of “courtesy cards” by friends and relatives of his colleagues on the force, accusing department leaders of maintaining a sprawling system of impunity that lets people with a connection to law enforcement avoid traffic tickets.
A Pennsylvania restaurant owner who screamed death threats directed at then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi while storming the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Tuesday to more than two years in prison.
Hard-fought to the end, the debt ceiling and budget cuts package is heading toward a crucial U.S. House vote as President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy assemble a coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans to push it to passage over fierce blowback from conservatives and some progressive dissent.
The Republican speaker urged GOP skeptics Tuesday to look at “the victories” in the package he negotiated with President Joe Biden.
