House Republicans chose Tuesday to keep Kevin McCarthy as their leader, making him the favorite to succeed Democrat Nancy Pelosi as the next speaker when a new Congress is sworn in Jan. 3.
Neither party has secured control of the House but Republicans are expected to narrowly capture the chamber when the vote counting ends.
More than a dozen races are yet to be called, but the already poor showing by Republicans in the midterms has several ultraconservative GOP lawmakers questioning whether to dump California Rep. Kevin McCarthy as their leader and find someone else. At the very least, they wanted to postpone the vote.
But McCarthy, who cultivated ties to conservatives and moderates alike, won by a large margin against Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs, a member of the Freedom Caucus.
Republicans are expected to capture the House but by a far slimmer margin than originally projected. Still, GOP control means the next Republican leader will almost certainly be speaker of the House.
And in the Senate, Florida Republican Rick Scott is challenging longtime GOP Leader Mitch McConnell for control of the GOP. Following a disappointing election campaign that saw Democrats retain control of the Senate, Scott said the caucus should be "far more bold and resolute than we have been in the past."
Here are the latest developments Tuesday.
On the Hill:After historic election, Congress returns to a lame duck session with a packed agenda
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Kevin McCarthy to remain GOP House leader, clearing way for speakership
Kevin McCarthy was elected by the GOP caucus to keep his job as Republican leader, making him the favorite to be the next speaker of the House.
McCarthy won the closed-door vote in convincing fashion, beating back a challenge by Arizona Republican Andy Biggs, a member of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus. Although McCarthy had won former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, some GOP hard-liners are wary of McCarthy.
Republicans are projected to take back the House when all the midterm races are called, putting McCarthy in position to run the chamber starting in January.
Louisiana Republican Steve Scalise, who has served as McCarthy's deputy, maintained his status as well, putting him into position to be majority leader when a new Congress convenes next year.
The official vote for speaker won't take place until Jan. 3 when lawmakers are sworn in. If McCarthy is chosen by the full House, he would replace Democrat Nancy Pelosi.
- Candy Woodall
Rick Scott challenging Mitch McConnell for GOP Senate leaders slot
Florida Sen. Rick Scott announced Tuesday that he will challenge Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for the top Republican leadership in a letter to his colleagues, calling for a change in leadership.
“I believe it’s time for the Senate Republican Conference to be far more bold and resolute than we have been in the past,” the letter said. “There is a Republican Party that is alive and well in communities across America. It is time there is one in Washington, D.C. too. That is why I am running to e Republican Leader.”
Scott also took a jab at McConnell, telling his colleagues that if they “simply want to stick with the status quo, don’t vote for me.” The Florida Senator first announced his plan to unseat the Kentucky Republican in a closed-door meeting with Republican members.
McConnell has served as the top GOP leader since 2007, making him among the longest-serving Senate Republican leader.
- Sarah Elbeshhbishi
Schumer tells GOP to stop embracing MAGA 'or you're going to keep losing'.
Not that they're listening to him but Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer nonetheless had a suggestion for Republicans.
"I have a plea for the Republicans and advice: If you embrace MAGA, you’re going to keep losing. you’re going to lose more," he said during Tuesday's weekly press conference on Capitol Hill. "The embrace of MAGA in 2018, 2020 and ’22 didn’t work, We welcome you to work with us ona bipartisan basis to get things done for the America people."
Democrats defied expectations by maintaining control of the Senate following the midterms despite an unfavorable climate that include high inflation and President Joe Biden's low approval ratings. That means Schumer will remain as the majority leader in charge of settnig the chamber's agenda.
“When we come back in January, hopefully we have a productive legislative session," he said. And "the number of the non-MAGA Republicans will do what so many of them did with us now and some of them are doing with us on Respect for Marriage Act and that is work with us in a bipartisan way to get things done,"
- Rachel Looker
Megan McCain shades Republican Kari Lake in tweets
Political commentator Megan McCain threw shade at former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake Monday after Lake lost to Democratic incumbent Katie Hobbs. McCain tweeted a photo of her father, former Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, smiling with his thumbs up next to the photo of Lake with the word “loser” written across her photo.
McCain’s tweet referred to Lake calling the late Arizona senator a “loser” during a campaign event on Nov. 4 before telling supporters of the senator at her event to “get the hell out.”
McCain trolled Lake again Tuesday, tweeting “Beautiful morning to all of you” while sharing a National Review article titled “McCain Republicans Vote, Too.”
- Sarah Elbeshbishi
Election of new GOP leader begins with McCarthy challenged by Biggs
The selection of a Republican House leader to assume the reins of the caucus and become the next speaker of the House began Tuesday afternoon with the nomination of Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs.
The election is being conducted behind closed doors as projections on a handful of yet-uncalled races show the GOP will recapture the House for the first time since 2019. The official vote for Speaker will take place Jan. 3 when a new Congress is sworn in, but whomever GOP lawmakers choose as their leader will be the frontrunner to be the next speaker.
More:A poor GOP showing in the midterms could hamper Kevin McCarthy's path to be House speaker
Biggs, a member of the hard-line Freedom Caucus, has emerged as the only alternative – for now – to current GOP leader Kevin McCarthy of California. Although some members of the caucus are unhappy with McCarthy, it's unlikely they have the numbers to derail his path to the speakership.
One of the reasons McCarthy is expected to lead the Republicans once again is Jim Jordan, the ultra conservative Ohio Republican who commands a lot of respect in the GOP conference.
Jordan reiterated his support for McCarthy as he walked into the vote Tuesday.
“You know where I stand,” he said to reporters.
- Candy Woodall
Ron DeSantis declines to take Donald Trump's bait (or comment on 2024)
Florida governor and potential presidential candidate Ron DeSantis declined on Tuesday to comment on Donald Trump's new and incessant criticism, blowing it off as part of the territory.
"One of the things I've learned in this job is when you're leading, when you're getting things done, yeah, you take incoming fire – that's just the nature of it," DeSantis told reporters just hours before Trump announces his 2024 plans.
DeSantis did not comment on Trump's announcement, nor did he discuss his own plans for 2024. He did find time to reference last week's elections, in which some Trump-backed candidates fell by the wayside while he racked up more than 59% in winning re-election in a key battleground state.
Discounting all the "noise" from the "corporate media" and others, DeSantis said: "At the end of the day, I would just tell people to go check out the scoreboard from last Tuesday night."
– David Jackson
Liz Cheney trolls fellow Republican Kari Lake
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., seemingly trolled defeated Arizona gubernatorial Republican nominee Kari Lake in a tweet on Monday night.
Cheney quote-tweeted an Oct. 28 tweet from Lake, in which Lake sarcastically thanked Cheney for encouraging Arizona voters to not support her.
“Your recent television ad urging Arizonans not to vote for me is doing just the opposite,” Lake taunted.
Yet, Cheney appeared to get the last laugh after Democrat Katie Hobbs defeated Lake in the Arizona governor’s race. “You’re welcome, @KariLake,” Cheney responded to Lake in a tweet.
– Mabinty Quarshie
Trump plans to announce 2024 presidential campaign plans at 9 p.m.
WASHINGTON – Donald Trump is expected to announce plans to seek the presidency again in 2024 during a 9 p.m. event that comes a week after Republican election losses scrambled the emerging GOP nomination race and undercut the ex-president's status as party leader.
Many Republicans blamed Trump for the GOP's poor showing in the 2002 midterms, and are urging party members to look for a new candidate. Some as pushing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who defied trends by winning more than 59% of the vote in his re-election race.
Trump, who is under criminal investigation as well as political pressure, refused Republican entreaties to delay his announcement, and is going forward with a speech at his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Fla.
– David Jackson
McCarthy's tremulous path to House speaker
It was supposed to be a coronation of sorts for McCarthy: The California Republican would ride a red wave in November to the speakership of the House, a post he has pursued for years.
But a dismal Republican showing in this month's midterm elections have complicated his path. And when GOP lawmakers gather this week to begin choosing their leadership for the next Congress, McCarthy could find the going rocky – especially from his right flank.
A red ripple:A poor GOP showing in the midterms could hamper Kevin McCarthy's path to be House speaker
Arizona GOP Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., a member of the far-right Freedom Caucus, is among the potential obstacles McCarthy faces in his path to speaker. Biggs thinks the GOP caucus should have a “good discussion” on whether McCarthy should assume the role, citing the under performance by Republican candidates as something to consider.
Biggs told Newsmax on Monday night that he would challenge McCarthy. The leadership vote takes place at 1 p.m.
– Ledge King, Sarah Elbeshbishi
Campaign strategy:Democrats spent millions boosting ultra right candidates in midterms. The strategy worked.
Katie Hobbs defeats Trump-backed Kari Lake in Arizona governor's race
Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs won the race for Arizona governor, beating out Republican nominee Kari Lake.
Hobbs, a veteran of Democratic politics, served as Arizona secretary of state and gained a national profile defending President Joe Biden’s victory in 2020.
Lake is a former television news host turned politician whose embrace of false claims that the 2020 election was stolen helped her win the endorsement of former President Donald Trump and the votes of many of his hardline supporters.
McConnell in minority:Mitch McConnell won’t become Senate majority leader again. What that means for his power
Election updates:With over 20 House races uncalled, Pelosi won't comment on future
Democrat Andrea Salinas wins US House seat in Oregon’s 6th
Democrat Andrea Salinas has won the U.S. House seat in Oregon’s newly created 6th District.
The state representative and former congressional staffer defeated Republican Mike Erickson, a businessman.
Salinas was one of two candidates seeking to be Oregon’s first Latina congresswoman, along with Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer in the 5th District, who also won her race.
A population boom made Oregon one of just six states to gain a House seat following the 2020 census. The state’s population jumped by more than 10% in the past decade to more than 4.2 million people, giving it a new congressional district for the first time in 40 years.
– Associated Press
