The Speaker vacancy and the Israel-Hamas war

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The U.S. House of Representatives remains leaderless with an intraparty Republican fight over the next speaker now overshadowed by Hamas' brutal attack on close American ally Israel that quickly escalated into war.

It's an unprecedented moment that adds urgency to an already challenging week for fractured House Republicans as they try to agree on who should succeed Kevin McCarthy after ousting him from power six days ago.

Despite the federal holiday, House Republicans plan to huddle behind closed doors Monday night for a special meeting on the vacancy, with the full House returning to work on Tuesday.

Because the House is currently operating with no elected speaker, the lower chamber is effectively paralyzed. The House can’t pass emergency military aid for Israel until lawmakers seat a new speaker. Additionally, Congress must pass a spending bill to avert a government shutdown by mid-November.

And while the interim speaker, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., participated in an unclassified conference call on the Israel-Palestinian conflict on Sunday night, it’s unclear whether he’ll be able to receive classified briefings in the Capitol this week. (President Joe Biden would need to grant McHenry that authority.)

Given the House leadership void at this crucial moment, McCarthy, who is still a member of Congress, is assuming some roles of his old job.

The outbreak of war in Israel has sparked some Republicans to call for McCarthy to be reinstated as speaker so the House can function.

It will be an arduous task for a divided and narrow majority. Republicans need 217 of their 221 members to agree on a new speaker, as they don't expect any Democratic support.

It is unclear when the House will hold a floor vote to elect a new speaker. Republicans will first hold a closed-door candidates forum on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Republicans expect to hold an internal election. Whether they will have a consensus to head to the floor and elect a speaker that same day remains unknown.

In a press conference on Monday, McCarthy declined to endorse between Scalise and Jordan, and repeatedly kept the door open to returning as speaker.

“That’s a decision by the conference,” he said, adding that he will support its decision. “Unfortunately the House can do nothing without a speaker.”

He added if eight members can throw out a speaker for trying to govern, “no one’s going to be successful.”

He referred to those who moved to oust him as “a few individuals” in the caucus “who love a camera more than they love the American public.”