Page 22 - HOSPITAAL

A4 U.S. NEWS
Monday 22 october 2018

GOP risks messy leadership

struggle after November vote

WASHINGTON (AP) — Win with next-in-line Kevin Mc- Caucus and its libertarian-
or lose in the race for the Carthy, the majority leader, leaning allies in rural, tradi-
majority, House Republi- a longtime ally whom the tionally Republican states
cans are at risk of plung- president calls "My Kevin." who doubt McCarthy's
ing into a messy leadership But Trump is also saying conservative bona fides.
battle after the November kind words about the No. Those lawmakers blocked
election, with the party 3 Republican, GOP Whip the Californian's rise when
lacking a clear heir appar- Steve Scalise, whom he he first reached for the
In this July 24, 2018 file photo, House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wis., ent to take the place of calls the "legend from Loui- speaker's gavel three years
attends a news conference following a GOP caucus meeting on House Speaker Paul Ryan. siana." Scalise survived life- ago.
Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump has threatening injuries after he Conservatives say the
Associated Press signaled he'd be happy was shot at a congressional House majority is at risk in
baseball practice in 2017. large part because Re-
And there's a third lawmak- publicans didn't stand fully
er in the mix: conservative behind Trump. They fault
Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, their own side for failing
who is waging a long- to repeal "Obamacare,"
shot bid to take the gav- build a wall along the bor-
el. Trump appeared with der with Mexico and keep
Jordan at an Ohio rally in other campaign promises.
the summer and beamed If there's a GOP wipeout on
when the crowd started Election Day, Republicans
chanting, "Speaker of the will probably be eager to
House!" boot the current GOP lead-
"There's going to be a con- ership, which could give
test, for sure," said GOP rise to Scalise or even Jor-
Rep. Tom Cole of Oklaho- dan's unorthodox bid.
ma, a veteran of leadership In public, none of the
battles who said he's never leaders-in-waiting likes to
seen anything like the "high talk about the struggle
drama" that's about to un- to come. Their goal, they
fold. "Usually the election say, is to keep the House
settles all the issues. This one majority. But behind the
won't." scenes all three are all di-
Polls are seesawing in the fi- aling up colleagues and
nal weeks before the elec- racing around the country
tion, creating suspense spending their time — and
about whether Democrats campaign cash — to sal-
will regain control of the vage the GOP’s hold on
House for the first time since the House. “It’s going to
2010. Yet it's almost certain be close, but I still think we
that the often unruly House keep the majority,” Mc-
GOP contingent will be Carthy told The Associated
smaller next year. Repub- Press on Wednesday in be-
licans hope to hold the tween campaign stops.
majority, but fully expect to McCarthy, who is travel-
lose some seats. ing to a dozen states for
The election is likely to pro- two dozen lawmakers in
duce a more conserva- October and shoveled
tive, pro-Trump Republican $24 million in donations to
lineup in the House, as most candidates and campaign
of the GOP incumbents at committees, convened an
risk of losing hail from mod- all-hands-on-deck con-
erate-leaning districts and ference call, urging col-
suburbs. Their defeat would leagues to put campaign
probably concentrate money into a team effort
more power in the hands to protect the majority.
of the House Freedom Continued on Next Page