leadership

COMMENTARY
U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) receives the gavel from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) after McCarthy was elected Speaker on Jan. 7, 2023 after four days of voting and 15 ballots. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

What does the speaker of the House do?

BY: - January 8, 2023

Second in the line of presidential succession after the vice president, the speaker of the House occupies a central role in our national government. But what is it that a speaker actually does? Most people think the speakership is a party office. It’s not. The speaker is selected by the full House membership, though the […]

COMMENTARY
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson speaks Nov. 30, 2022, at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. (Screen grab from YouTube video)

Will Hutchinson’s Reagan-like stance persuade GOP voters?

BY: - December 6, 2022

As Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s term nears its end, he’s taking nearly every advantage to polish his presidential bona fides. Just last week, former President Donald Trump gave Hutchinson an excellent opportunity to remind his party, and the nation, that true leaders don’t take meetings with public racists or antisemites. In an appearance on CNN’s […]

U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York (center) becomes the first African American of either major political party to be elected leader of the Democratic caucus for the 118th Congress on Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. Here he and other members of the new House Democratic leadership team, Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts elected as whip, and Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, elected as conference chair, take questions from reporters at the Capitol. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

U.S. House Democrats make history electing first Black party leader in Congress

BY: - November 30, 2022

WASHINGTON — The three U.S. House Democrats who have led their party through four presidencies and thousands of floor votes formally passed the torch to the next generation Wednesday, when the party gathered behind closed doors to elect its top leaders for the 118th Congress.  House Democrats named Hakeem Jeffries, of New York, as their […]

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Republicans' nominee for speaker for the 118th Congress, and the House GOP leadership team for the next session talk with reporters after the party held its leadership elections on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

U.S. House GOP picks leadership team for next Congress: McCarthy, Scalise and Emmer

BY: - November 15, 2022

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans elected their slate of leaders for the 118th Congress on Tuesday, even though the party hadn’t yet secured the seats needed to take the majority come January.  The new leadership team emerged from several contested races decided during an hours-long secret ballot voting session, including a three-way campaign for whip […]

Congress heads back to D.C. for a hectic lame-duck session

BY: - November 14, 2022

WASHINGTON — Congress returns to Capitol Hill and a lengthy to-do list this week, following a six-week midterm elections break that saw Democrats outperform expectations and Republicans barely inch toward the U.S. House majority. On the agenda are same-sex marriage legislation, a huge defense bill, changes in how presidential electoral votes are counted and more. […]