Twelve Days of WEX-mas: Republicans head into 2024 with deep intraparty divisions

[Valin]

The Washington Examiner

Reese Gorman, Congressional Reporter
January 03, 2024

In the spirit of the season, the Washington Examiner has identified 12 issues we believe will shape 2024 — and beyond. These close-up examinations of agenda-setting issues cover everything from the ongoing battle between the Biden family's business deals and Republican oversight, the emergence of a "new world order," and fights over redistricting and new election maps. Part 10 is about the fractured GOP and whether Republicans have found their footing heading into 2024.

The House Republican Conference is going into the new year sharply divided as members of the conference across the spectrum continue to try and recover from a year of turmoil.

(Snip)

Hard-line conservatives, fed up with what they view as Johnson caving to Democrats and the Senate’s demands, have successfully blocked rules and tried to take down other pieces of legislation. And while they largely haven’t been successful, they’ve been loud and a thorn in Johnson’s side.

“One thing. I want my Republican colleagues to give me one thing, one, that I can go campaign on and say we did,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) said on the House floor after it passed a continuing resolution. “Anybody sitting in the complex, if you want to come down to the floor and come explain to me one meaningful, significant thing the Republican majority has done besides ‘Well, I guess it’s not as bad as the Democrats.’”

Things boiled over once the House passed the National Defense Authorization Act. Republican members across the ideological spectrum were singing their criticism of Johnson after the bill's passage, and the likelihood of any rules passing in the near future dropped substantially.

Johnson is also coming to the realization that being the leader of the House means compromise, which is something many in Congress don’t like to do.

(Snip)

Members of the House have also come to terms with the fact that Trump will likely be the nominee as he rakes in more endorsements from members than his opponents, including Johnson.

The House’s chaos, mixed with election season politics, is sure to set up more disagreements as some members will want to move further to the right while others will want to curb staunchly partisan votes. This will likely lead to even more division within the conference in 2024.

_____________________________________________________________________

Emphasis Mine