Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Getty
There’s going to be pain and suffering for Kevin McCarthy. We just don’t know how much.
Since taking over as Speaker of the House in January, McCarthy has been surprisingly resilient and effective. But with Congress back from August recess, McCarthy now faces what may be the greatest challenge of his political career.
The Republican-led House has to pass a spending package between now and September 30, or risk a government shutdown. The GOP’s right flank wants cuts and concessions that GOP moderates and mainstream conservatives view as unachievable, ill-advised, and politically toxic.