All articles tagged with #gop infighting
Rep. Elise Stefanik criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson, claiming he would lose a vote for speaker if called today, citing internal GOP disagreements and her recent political disputes, while other political developments include bipartisan efforts on healthcare subsidies and legal investigations into former officials.
The March 5 Texas Primary election in the San Antonio area saw low Democratic turnout and GOP infighting leading to surprising results, with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump winning their respective primaries. Key races included U.S. Senate primaries, Congressional District 23, Texas House Districts 121, 44, 80, and 19, as well as Bexar County Commissioner races. Gov. Greg Abbott targeted GOP incumbents who voted against school vouchers, resulting in several runoffs set for May 28.
Infighting within the Republican Party in Horry County, South Carolina, reflects broader divisions within the GOP as it grapples with the influence of former President Donald Trump. The conflict stems from dueling factions claiming to be the official county party, with both sides led by staunch conservatives. While the dispute may not significantly impact the upcoming primary or general elections in the state, it mirrors similar rifts in other crucial swing states and could have implications for the 2024 presidential race.
Alabama executes Kenneth Eugene Smith using nitrogen gas, GOP infighting erupts over Trump's pressure to kill a border security bill, U.N.'s top court to rule on ordering Israel to halt its Gaza offensive, Nikki Haley changes her tone on Trump, explicit deepfake photos of Taylor Swift spark outrage, concerns arise as the U.S. sells its helium stockpile, and the U.S. economy defies pessimistic expectations with 401(k) savings seeing growth.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing pushback from conservative House Republicans over a spending deal he struck with Democrats, with some expressing dissatisfaction and even considering a motion to vacate him from the speakership. The open criticism and parliamentary standoff reflect deep divisions within the party, raising questions about Johnson's ability to unite the conference. Despite some Republicans voicing support for Johnson, others are calling for more spending cuts and action on immigration issues. Johnson defended the spending deal as a "down payment on restoring fiscal sanity" and expressed confidence in his leadership, but the GOP infighting gives Democrats an opportunity to highlight division going into an election year.
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) reported a significant drop in fundraising, raising $5 million in October compared to $9 million in September, as GOP lawmakers faced challenges in electing a House speaker. This marks the committee's third-lowest fundraising month of the year. In contrast, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee raised $8.1 million in October. Concerns have been raised about Speaker Mike Johnson's ability to raise funds, as he is seen as less effective than his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy. Johnson has launched a joint fundraising committee called "Grow the Majority" to support vulnerable incumbents, Republican challengers, the NRCC, and the Congressional Leadership Fund.
The leader of a major conservative PAC, Jonathan Stickland, faced condemnation after it was revealed that he hosted white supremacist Nick Fuentes at his office for several hours. House Speaker Dade Phelan strongly condemned Stickland and called on elected officials, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, to return money received from the group. Patrick denounced Fuentes and anti-Semitism but accused Phelan of exploiting the situation for political gain. The PAC, Defend Texas Liberty, is funded by West Texas oil billionaires and has donated millions to ultraconservative candidates. The incident has escalated tensions within the GOP and highlighted the ongoing infighting between more extreme factions and establishment members.
Disagreements within the House GOP over funding for Ukraine are threatening to derail Republicans' defense spending bill for a fourth time. Some GOP lawmakers oppose the $300 million in funding toward Ukraine included in the bill, as well as Ukraine funding in the bill for the State Department. Speaker Kevin McCarthy can only afford to lose a handful of votes to pass the bill, and the opposition to Ukraine funding also poses challenges for the Senate's stopgap funding proposal. Lawmakers must reach an agreement on government funding by Sept. 30 to avoid a partial shutdown.
Five far-right House Republicans blocked a Pentagon spending bill from coming up for debate, dealing an embarrassing setback to Speaker Kevin McCarthy as he struggled to round up votes to prevent a government shutdown. The move exposed deep divisions within the GOP and left McCarthy scrambling for a way forward. The House's inability to move on a stopgap plan further delayed negotiations on a bipartisan spending compromise, with a temporary funding bill needed to keep the government funded after the end of next week. McCarthy now faces the difficult choice of either continuing to negotiate with a small group of members who want to shut down the government or teaming up with Democrats to keep funding flowing, potentially facing a bid to oust him from the speakership by right-wing lawmakers.