Republicans back to drawing board in quest for US House leader

A damaging, weeks-long Republican leadership crisis deepened further Friday, leaving the paralyzed US legislature unable to perform even basic functions like funding the government and addressing growing national security concerns.

In the 17 days since US House speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted in a rebellion by right-wing hard-liners from within his own party, no other Republican has been able to muster enough votes to replace him, sparking one of the worst institutional crises Washington has seen in decades.

The party dropped Ohio conservative Jim Jordan, chairman of the influential Judiciary Committee, in a secret ballot Friday after he again failed to secure victory on the House floor on his third attempt.

Underscoring the dysfunction plaguing the party, the vote leaves Congress unable to respond to an urgent request by President Joe Biden for $106 billion in emergency funding -- mainly military aid for Ukraine and Israel.

Lawmakers told reporters as they left Capitol Hill for the weekend they would hold a "candidate forum" to choose a new standard-bearer on Monday, with several hopefuls expected to be announced on Sunday.

"We need to come together and figure out who our speaker is going to be," Jordan told reporters as he confirmed the end his of bid for the gavel, which places the holder second in line to the presidency.

"I'm going to work as hard as I can to help that individual so that we can go help the American people. And I'm also going to get back to work."

Despite backing from former president and leading 2024 Republican hopeful Donald Trump, Jordan was defeated by 25 colleagues from his own side who joined every Democrat to deny him the gavel for the third time in four days.

- 'Lives will be jeopardized' -

"We're in a very bad place right now," McCarthy admitted after the latest setback, days after predicting that his one-time adversary would win the first ballot.

With the contest resetting next week, at least seven of Jordan's colleagues were considering throwing their hat in the ring.

The names brought up by multiple lawmakers -- largely technocrats who lack the profile of Jordan and other stars of the Republican right -- included a pair of committee chairmen and two congressmen who are already members of the leadership.

"We must unify and do it fast," said Kevin Hern, chairman of the deeply conservative Republican Study Committee and a leading early contender, said in a statement.

"I've spoken to every member of the conference over the last few weeks. We need a different type of leader who has a proven track record of success, which is why I'm running for speaker of the House."

Jordan, a deeply divisive figure in his own party, had seen his vote share weaken with each successive ballot.

The 59-year-old former champion wrestler was asked about Biden's aid request during a press conference as he sought to rally support for his floundering campaign ahead of the third vote.

"We can't do that -- can't vote on that, can't pass anything in that -- until we get the House open," he said.

Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries called for a bipartisan choice for speaker, calling Jordan a "clear and present danger to our democracy."

"We have to get the House reopened. It's my expectation that the Senate will begin to act on President Biden's national security package sooner rather than later," he told reporters after the vote.

"But if the House is not reopened, then it will stall unnecessarily and lives will be jeopardized. This is a serious situation."

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