GOP

Republican presidential candidate and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley answers reporters' questions after filing for the New Hampshire Primary Ballot at the New Hampshire State House in October 2023. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Koch network’s Americans for Prosperity PAC endorses Nikki Haley for president

BY: - November 28, 2023

The political network mainly funded by billionaire Charles Koch is backing Nikki Haley for president — a key endorsement that might help the former South Carolina governor in her uphill battle to win the Republican nomination over frontrunner Donald Trump. The endorsement comes from Americans for Prosperity (AFP) Action, the Koch-based super PAC. The group […]

Haley says she’s the better choice than Trump in 2024: ‘Chaos follows him’

BY: - November 28, 2023

BLUFFTON — Rallying support in her home state, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley pitched herself as a new Republican leader who can bring strong foreign policy experience and more stability than former President Donald Trump, who remains the frontrunner of the 2024 GOP presidential field. “I believe President Trump was the right president at […]

U.S. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., right, and Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., arrive to a House GOP candidates forum where congressmen who are running for speaker of the House presented their platforms in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill on Oct. 24, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Emmer nominated for U.S. House speaker but drops out after Trump opposition

BY: , and - October 24, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans Tuesday voted to tap Minnesota’s Tom Emmer as speaker following five rounds of ballots — but Emmer quit the race just four hours later after he was attacked by the GOP’s most powerful figure, former President Donald Trump. After beating six candidates, Emmer, the No. 3 Republican, faced an uphill […]

U.S. House Republicans mull eight new candidates for speaker in advance of votes

BY: and - October 23, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans Monday night gathered behind closed doors to hear the pitches of eight candidates for the speaker’s gavel, as the chamber approaches three weeks without a speaker. Monday’s nearly three-hour meeting was meant to produce a leading GOP candidate, so that when Republicans vote behind closed doors on Tuesday, there will […]

Eight Republicans are running for U.S. House speaker. Here’s your guide to the field.

BY: and - October 23, 2023

(This story was updated at 7:55 p.m. Oct. 23, 2023, to reflect that Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Meuser dropped out of the running to be the GOP nominee for speaker of the U.S. House.) WASHINGTON –– The eight Republican candidates to be speaker of the U.S. House were set to make their cases to their colleagues […]

Scalise nominated by U.S. House GOP as speaker in closed-door meeting

BY: , and - October 11, 2023

(This story was updated at 6:28 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023) WASHINGTON — Uncertainty and party infighting over the next U.S. House speaker prevailed at the Capitol Wednesday evening, despite a majority of Republicans picking Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise as their nominee behind closed doors earlier in the day. The chamber adjourned and was scheduled […]

Louisiana Republican Rep. Steve Scalise, who is running to become speaker of the U.S. House, talks with reporters on Tuesday, Oct. 10 following a closed-door candidate forum. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

Race for U.S. House speaker moves toward a vote as Scalise, Jordan make their pitches

BY: and - October 10, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans gathered behind closed doors for several hours Tuesday evening to debate who the party should elect as the next speaker amid divided views about the path forward. The two-hour forum featured House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan making their cases and answering questions from their […]

COMMENTARY

Governor: We still have questions about that lectern

BY: - October 10, 2023

Well. Well. Well. What we’ve got heah is … failure to communicate. That line from the 1967 movie Cool Hand Luke resonates this week as we consider the continuing saga of our guvnuh’s fancy lectern, what the Wall Street Journal described Monday as “an unusual political scandal.” Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders could have avoided the […]

The U.S. Capitol. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

Shutdown inches closer as U.S. House GOP fails to pass defense bill, lawmakers exit D.C.

BY: - September 21, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans were unable for a third time Thursday to begin debate on the Defense funding bill, throwing another wrench into Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s leadership tenure. The 212-216 vote that rejected the rule for the $826 billion Defense spending measure was unexpected, coming less than a day after House GOP lawmakers gathered […]

U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks to reporters after a House Republican conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 19, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

U.S. House GOP spending bills falter as Congress struggles to avoid a shutdown

BY: and - September 19, 2023

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Democrats said Tuesday they are preparing their own short-term spending bill that they believe will garner bipartisan support, a decision that could stave off a partial government shutdown — and as House Republicans failed to advance two spending bills. The Senate move would work as long as the House votes to […]

Ralph Reed, founder and chair of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, interviewed 2024 presidential candidates at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition’s fall banquet in Des Moines Sept. 16, 2023. (Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

GOP presidential candidates focus on abortion, Israel, parental rights at evangelical event

BY: - September 17, 2023

Republican presidential candidates emphasized their support for abortion restrictions, parental rights and Israel while working Saturday night to win over evangelical Iowa caucusgoers. More than 1,000 people gathered in Des Moines for the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition annual fall banquet. The conservative Christian organization has played an influential role in the Republican presidential race […]

Republican presidential candidates (L-R), former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum participate in the first debate of the GOP primary season hosted by FOX News at the Fiserv Forum on August 23, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Trump absent but still dominates as GOP presidential rivals clash at first debate

BY: , and - August 23, 2023

Eight Republican presidential candidates gathered onstage Wednesday night in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for a heated first primary debate heavily influenced by former President Donald Trump, though the party’s front runner refused to attend the two-hour event. Trump instead recorded a competing 46-minute interview with former Fox News personality Tucker Carlson that aired on X, formerly known […]