”House of cards”-drama när ny talman ska utses

Kevin Owen McCarthy (born January 26, 1965) is an American politician, serving as House Minority Leader in the United States House of Representatives since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he served as House Majority Leader under speakers John Boehner and Paul Ryan from 2014 to 2019. McCarthy is in his eighth House term, serving as the U.S. representative for California's 22nd congressional district from 2007 to 2013 and for the 23rd district since 2013. He led the Republicans in gaining control of the House in the 2022 midterm elections. McCarthy formerly chaired the California Young Republicans and the Young Republican National Federation. He was a representative in the California State Assembly from 2002 to 2006, the last two years as minority leader. He was elected to Congress in 2006. McCarthy was elected to House leadership in his second term as Republican Chief Deputy Whip from 2009 to 2011. When Republicans took control of the House in 2011, he became majority whip from 2011 until August 2014, when he was elected majority leader to replace the outgoing Eric Cantor, who was defeated in his primary election.After Republicans lost their majority in the 2018 midterm elections, and Speaker Paul Ryan retired, McCarthy was elected minority leader in January 2019, making him the first California Republican to hold the post. McCarthy was a steady defender of former president Donald Trump for most of his time as majority leader and minority leader. After Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, McCarthy supported Trump's false denial of Biden's victory and participated in efforts to overturn the results. McCarthy later condemned the January 6 United States Capitol attack and said the 2020 election was legitimate.

Stephen Joseph "Steve" Scalise, född 10 oktober 1965 i New Orleans i Louisiana, är en amerikansk systemvetare och republikansk politiker. Sedan 2008 är han ledamot i USA:s representanthus från Louisianas första distrikt. Från 2014 till 2019 var han även Majority Whip för republikanerna i representanthuset, vilket gjorde honom till den tredje högst rankade republikanen i representanthuset efter talman Paul Ryan och majoritetsledare Kevin McCarthy. Han har tidigare varit ledamot i Louisianas senat samt representanthus.Den 14 juni 2017 i Alexandria i Virginia utsattes han för ett politiskt motiverat attentat och mordförsök då han blev skjuten i höften av en antirepublikan. Efter operation fick han livshotande skador. Scalise blev den första sittande kongressledamoten som skjutits sedan Gabrielle Giffords 2011.