Drama in Washington as Republican lawmakers fail to elect a new Speaker of the House. Plus what does a divided Congress mean for President Biden’s agenda?

The Republican Party won control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the November election. Not by the predicted “red wave” but by just a handful of seats.

But now comes the challenge of governing and in their first few attempts a divided Republican party was unable to agree on who will lead them as Speaker of the House. 

Joining the discussion:

• Rafael Bernal covers U.S. politics for The Hill. 
• Rina Shah is a political analyst and commentator. 
• Joseph Williams served as a Senior News Editor with U.S. News & World Report. 
• Adolfo Franco is an Attorney and Republican strategist.

BREAKING: Unable to elect Republican leader Kevin McCarthy as the new House speaker, the Republicans adjourned for the day in disarray as the party tries to regroup from a historic defeat after a long, messy start for the new Congress. https://t.co/sGMGIeUmks

— The Associated Press (@AP) January 3, 2023

Breaking news: Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), his party’s nominee, failed to secure the necessary votes through three ballots as hard-right conservatives opposed his selection. Amid the stalemate, the House voted to adjourn until noon on Wednesday. https://t.co/6RdfXtyxVu

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 3, 2023