After an unprecedented 15 attempts, Kevin McCarthy was finally named the 55th Speaker of the House of Representatives on January 7, 2023. He was opposed by up to 19 representatives within the Republican party. This was the first time in history since 1855 that a party appeared fractured in their decision. McCarthy had to make agreements and concessions with others in his party to gain their vote to secure his position. This has left many people questioning how the Republican party will move forward with their polarizing ideology. 

Now, newly elected representatives can finally be sworn into their position in government, and they can tackle upcoming bills and laws. Some Republicans believe that this process was essential in a democracy.  “Sometimes democracy is messy, but I would argue that’s exactly how the Founders intended it,” Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said on Fox News on Sunday.  However, others disagreed. For example, Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) stated that his colleagues were acting like terrorists, which he later retracted and labeled as a turn of phrase. With a slim majority within the House, we now watch the Republican party as upcoming events unfold. 

By Sorina Yeghian ‘26, Politics Editor

26syeghian@montroseschool.org