The next Speaker of the United States House of Representatives faces a challenging task, needing to maintain support within a divided Republican caucus while also reaching agreements with Democrats to fund the government
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy faced backlash from Republicans when he struck a deal with Democrats to temporarily fund the government, leading to his removal from the speakership position
The Republican Party has a thin majority in the House, making it possible for a small faction of conservatives led by Congressman Matt Gaetz to influence the choice and potential removal of the next speaker
The uncertainty surrounding the speakership and the threat of continued challenges by conservatives could lead to chronic dysfunction in the House and the U.S. government
McCarthy was removed in a 216-210 vote, with the entire Democratic caucus and eight Republicans supporting his removal
House Republicans are currently deliberating to choose the next speaker, with Patrick McHenry serving as the acting leader of the chamber
Candidates for the role of Speaker include Jim Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee and former head of the right-wing Freedom Caucus, and Steve Scalise, the House majority leader
Congress must pass a budget to fund the government, and the recently approved stopgap funding bill that led to McCarthy's removal will expire on November 17
Securing a government budget compromise will be more challenging this time, as the next speaker may be less inclined to compromise
Another significant issue is Ukraine aid, a priority for President Joe Biden, which may face opposition from right-wing Republicans who could use their leverage over the speaker to disrupt it