Texas Rep. Will Hurd has suspended his campaign for the Republican presidential primary and endorsed Nikki Haley, citing the need for the party to come together to find an alternative to front-runner Donald Trump. He warned that if the party nominates Trump or any of the other candidates who are "jockeying to imitate his divisive, crass behavior," the party will lose. Hurd's decision to suspend his campaign is a critical one for the Republican party as they face the election just months away.
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Rep. John Duarte (R-Calif.) is calling for the House of Representatives to reelect former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in order to approve military aid to Israel as soon as possible. Duarte expressed fear that Israel could run short on artillery in the midst of attacks by Hamas and criticized the House for dilly-dallying around with a leadership struggle when one of their strongest allies is under attack. McCarthy has not ruled out another bid for the job, and it remains to be seen if he will be reelected and if the House will be able to approve military aid to Israel in time.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has declared his "independence from the Democratic Party" and launched an independent bid for the presidential nomination, aiming to heal the political divide and give power to the American people. No Labels is intensifying its candidate recruitment efforts in response, as Kennedy's bid is the latest in a series of outsider candidates who could siphon support from the ultimate nominee. It remains to be seen how much of an impact his campaign will have on the presidential race.
Republican presidential candidates have accused the Biden administration of being weak on terrorism and partly responsible for the recent attacks by Hamas against Israel, citing the unfreezing of $6 billion in oil revenue as part of a prisoner exchange with Iran. Secretary Blinken has denied the accusations and defended the administration's foreign policy, calling for a de-escalation of tensions and a return to a path towards peace.
Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas) expressed concern over the lack of an elected speaker in the U.S. House of Representatives, noting that it is an unprecedented moment that adds urgency to an already challenging week for fractured House Republicans. McCaul believes it is essential for the House to appoint a speaker in order to send a strong message to U.S. rivals and to effectively respond to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer held a rare meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday, expressing his disappointment with China's lack of condemnation of the recent Hamas attack on Israel. The meeting is seen as a sign of potential for a highly anticipated meeting between President Joe Biden and Xi later this fall, and could help to ease some of the tensions between the two countries.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) has announced her support for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) for House Speaker, leaving him as the front-runner for the role. Rep. Patrick McHenry, the Speaker Pro Tempore, is powerless to act on the matter due to a post-9/11 rule, but the House rules do allow him to preside over the election of a new Speaker. The situation in Israel has put renewed scrutiny on Congress, which has been without a permanent House Speaker since Kevin McCarthy's ousting.
Nancy Marks, former campaign treasurer for Republican Rep. George Santos of Long Island, has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges, implicating Santos in submitting bogus campaign finance documents. Santos' financial disclosures suggested a massive surge in income with a seven-figure salary and more than one million in the bank, raising questions about the source of his wealth. Marks' plea signals a strong case against Santos, and further investigation is expected to take place.