Republicans in Ruins

It’s been less than 100 days of a GOP majority, and we’ve seen:

• The messiest Speakership battle in over one hundred years,

• No substantive legislation enacted,

• And now, Speaker McCarthy attacking his own leadership team

According to new reporting about the ongoing, yet unsuccessful, GOP budget negotiations, McCarthy recently described Majority Leader Scalise as “unreliable,” and “ineffective, checked out and reluctant to take a position on anything,” and budget chair, Rep. Jodey Arrington, as “incompetent,” and claimed “he has no confidence” in Arrington’s ability to deliver a budget framework.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. McCarthy’s conspicuous leadership collapse is garnering a lot of attention early in his tenure as Speaker. One thing is clear: the Republican conference is in ruins as their leadership tries desperately to pull out of a tailspin.

Here are a few of the headlines “OK” McCarthy has earned this week:

• New York Times: Staring Down a Debt Crisis, McCarthy Toils to Navigate G.O.P. Divisions

  “The suspicions and divisions exposed during that process remain and are spilling out into the open as Mr. McCarthy faces his most consequential test.”

• Politico: McCarthy searches for a scapegoat

  “Senior Republicans always knew that passing a budget with a slim majority was going to be difficult. But the interesting part of all this palace intrigue is that it’s not factions inside the rank-and-file causing the problems; it’s McCarthy’s own leadership team that’s in disarray, which doesn’t bode well for House Republicans’ budget efforts.”

• CNN: Early struggles of new House Republican majority raise anxiety over high-stakes fights to come

  “The party’s more vulnerable members are frustrated with how the House Republican majority has so far spent its time in power, which has also included a heavy focus on investigations and running defense for former President Donald Trump.”

DCCC spokesperson Tommy Garcia:
“Less than 100 days of a GOP majority and Republican leadership is already attacking one another as ‘incompetent’ and ‘ineffective.’ Their dysfunction and inability to lead – all while holding the US economy hostage – adds to the reasons why voters cannot and will not trust the House Republicans with power in 2024. ”

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