What the Kevin McCarthy saga means for America’s Congress
Power struggles, public humiliation and a government shutdown may follow
Editor’s note: On January 7th, after four days of voting and 15 ballots, Mr McCarthy finally clinched the speakership. He did so only after making significant concessions to right-wing hardliners—including the ability for a single lawmaker to force a vote to remove him at any time. It was the longest election since 1859.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Unspeakable”
Leaders January 7th 2023
From the January 7th 2023 edition
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