House Speaker Kevin McCarthy faces new Republican challenge with rules package vote

Newly minted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy faced a new headache Monday as he sought to push through a controversial rules package that was a key pillar of his controversial deal with far right-wing Republican rebels that forged his narrow weekend win.

After finally ending the humiliating revolt after midnight Saturday, the rookie speaker must now line up virtually all his loyalists behind the deal that gives the anti-McCarthy faction unprecedented new power.

At least one Republican moderate has already said he is implacably opposed to the new rules, which could lead to mandatory cuts in both defense and domestic spending and give the rebels the ability to prevent GOP leaders from raising the debt ceiling and other big-ticket issues.

McCarthy can afford to lose no more than four GOP votes to pass the rules, although the math changes a bit if moderate critics like Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) votes “present” like the rebels eventually did in the race for speaker.

Republicans hold a 222-212 edge over Democrats in the House after winning an underwhelming victory in the midterm elections, a margin that will decrease by one vote after Democrats are expected to fill a seat left vacant when a Virginia lawmaker recently died.

All Democrats are expected to vote against the Republican rules package as they voted in lockstep for new Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) in the speaker fight.

Approving rules is usually a snoozy Capitol Hill ritual, but the dysfunctional Republican majority has shown its ability to turned routine votes into damaging food fights.

The rules concessions won by the stubborn rebels include major limits on McCarthy’s power, such as allowing a single lawmaker to initiate a vote to remove him as speaker and other steps.

If the rules pass, the anti-McCarthy faction will have virtual veto power as Congress works to raise the debt limit before the government reaches its borrowing cap or face a devastating default on payments.

The stalemate could force cuts to Social Security, military budgets and federal benefits such as food assistance.

Lawmakers will eventually also have to fund federal agencies and programs, but a bipartisan majority of lawmakers in both the House and Senate succeeded last year in passing a spending bill that gives the nation a reprieve from the GOP drama till Oct. 1.