"Republicans Face Disappointing Speaker Candidate Options in US House"

House Republicans will nominate a new candidate for speaker, marking their third attempt to fill the position after Kevin McCarthy's ouster. The GOP's previous picks failed to secure enough votes, leaving the House in chaos with a possible government shutdown looming. The next nominee will need the support of 217 GOP lawmakers, a challenging task given the party's razor-thin majority. Voting by secret ballot, Republicans will narrow down the eight declared candidates to one, but even then, there is no guarantee of winning the speaker's gavel in a public floor vote. The GOP's leadership crisis has raised concerns about American leadership and the functioning of democratic institutions.