WASHINGTON – With Tuesday’s seating of the 118th Congress comes a mix of new voices and some familiar faces leading Democrats and Republicans.
Set to make headlines: House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, who is vying to become speaker of the House; a new trio of Democratic lawmakers succeeding Nancy Pelosi; and far-right lawmakers with newfound influence in a GOP-controlled House.
McCarthy’s bid for speaker
For the first time in a century, House lawmakers are voting on multiple ballots for House speaker after Republican leader Kevin McCarthy failed to secure enough votes to land the job in the first few ballots, throwing the new GOP majority into tumult.
A fourth vote was expected after McCarthy failed to receive enough votes through multiple rounds of voting.
Republicans – and analysts and experts – projected a “red wave” to sweep the House in the midterms, but the GOP underperformed. The GOP still ended up taking the House, but with a far slimmer majority than anticipated.
Republicans have 222 seats in the House, and McCarthy needs 218 votes to become speaker. Most of the House GOP conference has pledged their support for McCarthy as speaker, but a few ultra-conservative voices have opposed him as an establishment Republican.
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But his opponents have yet to offer up an alternative candidate. In a closed-door vote, Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs challenged McCarthy for the nomination to become speaker but lost 188-31.
In the first vote Tuesday for the powerful leadership role, Biggs earned 10 votes. Nine other lawmakers voted for “others.” But in the second vote, all 19 GOP defectors voted for Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan on the floor.
New House leaders
New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries will take up the mantle as House Democratic leader, making history as the first Black lawmaker to lead a major party in Congress. At 52, Jeffries is widely seen as more centrist and low-key compared to Pelosi, who established herself as a liberal Democrat.
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“Pelosi has left some big shoes to fill,” said Matt Green, professor of politics at Catholic University. “Jeffries is a relatively more junior member. I would not be surprised if there are some missteps early in his tenure that would be expected.”
Not only that, Jeffries’ more moderate history could clash with the progressive wing of the Democratic caucus.
“His challenge is to convince liberals in the party that he is a progressive and can be trusted to help them carry out their agenda,” Green said.
All 212 elected Democrats on Tuesday voted for Jeffries for the speaker role on the first and second ballots in a result that was not enough for Jeffries to secure the job but underscored the party’s unity in contrast to the divided GOP.
Alongside Jeffries, Reps. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts as Democratic whip and Pete Aguilar of California as caucus chair will lead House Democrats.
Senate Republicans
Most Senate leaders in both parties kept their spots, but there is some movement on the Republican side.
Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia have moved into the No. 4 and 5 GOP leadership spots respectively.
Ernst was elected chairwoman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee on Nov. 16, a leadership role previously held by retiring Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt. She advances from her previous position as the vice chair of the Senate Republican Conference. Filling her shoes in that previous role is Capito.
The top three spots among Senate Republicans will continue to be held by Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and his two deputies, Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota and Conference Chair John Barrasso of Wyoming.
Republicans also voted to replace Sen. Rick Scott of Florida with Sen. Steve Daines of Montana as the new chair the National Republican Senatorial Committee after the GOP lost ground in the upper chamber in the midterms.
Senate Democrats
Among Senate Democrats, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Democratic Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois keep their positions.
However, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, who previously held the third Senate leadership spot, has declined it this year, choosing to be president pro tempore. That puts her third in line to presidential succession.
Other Democratic Senate leaders include: Debbie Stabenow of Michigan as the policy and communications committee chair; Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota as steering committee chair; Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts as vice chair of the conference; Mark Warner of Virginia as vice chair of the conference; and Bernie Sanders of Vermont as outreach chair.
Key figures in the House
With the GOP’s incredibly narrow majority, individual Republican lawmakers are going to be able to exert a lot more influence than they previously could.
Jordan, a co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus, a group of the most conservative lawmakers, is set to chair the House Judiciary Committee. Jordan has already vowed to pick fights with President Joe Biden and the White House through investigations.
Though several GOP lawmakers cast ballots Tuesday in support of Jordan assuming the House speakership, Jordan endorsed McCarthy for the role in a speech on the House floor Tuesday.
Kentucky Rep. James Comer is set to chair the House Oversight Committee, promising investigations into Republican grievances including COVID-19, presidential son Hunter Biden’s financial dealings, the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and much more.
Another far-right figure to keep an eye on is Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Once a fringe lawmaker in the House, she has risen to prominence as a bridge between the conference’s most conservative lawmakers and the more moderate wing. Greene has been a fierce defender of McCarthy’s bid for the speakership.
But a thin majority will also empower moderate Republicans who are optimistic about legislating in a divided Congress.
GOP Rep. Dave Joyce of Ohio could emerge as a bipartisan deal maker as chair of the Republican Governance Group, a group of moderate Republicans. Joyce consistently touts his bipartisan credentials, having worked with Jeffries before.
Key figures in the Senate
Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who built her voting record as a moderate Democrat, last month left the party and registered as an independent. But she is holding onto her committee seats..
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., will also continue to be a moderate Democrat to watch.
Some members in the far-right flank of the Senate and election deniers who may draw attention include Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, J.D. Vance of Ohio, Ted Budd of North Carolina, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Mike Lee of Utah.
What can the House do without the Senate?
Not a whole lot. Any GOP-supported legislation is likely dead on arrival in a Democratic Senate. The most important power for a now Republican-controlled House is investigative power.
Some Republicans have even floated impeachment of Biden and other cabinet officials, such as Attorney General Merrick Garland for the Department of Justice’s probe into Trump’s handling of classified documents and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over the southern border.
What can the Senate do without the House?
Previously, in a 50-50 Senate, Democrats depended on Vice President Kamala Harris’ tie-breaking vote to give them a majority. Now, with 51 seats including three independents, they have an outright majority.
That will allow Democrats to continue to approve federal judges and members of Biden’s administration quickly, continuing his efforts to add more women and minorities to the bench.
Senate Democrats will also have majority control of their committees and subpoena power.
Candy Woodall is a Congress reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @candynotcandace.