Republicans touted a breakthrough in spending and shutdown talks Wednesday, but failed again Thursday as GOP infighting derailed a defense funding bill.
Some conservatives have also doubled down on their opposition against passing a short-term measure to prevent a government shutdown before the Sept. 30 cutoff date.
And the party is seeing threats among moderates of teaming up with Democrats on a potential workaround conservative opposition.
With just nine days to go before a potential shutdown, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) openly airing his frustration with the hard-line conservatives.
Some of McCarthy’s GOP holdouts have expressed support for trying to oust him.
“This is a whole new concept of individuals that just want to burn the whole place down,” McCarthy told reporters.
“That doesn’t work,” he said. “Look, I know it’s an obstacle. I find it as a challenge, and we’re gonna solve it.
To some moderate Republicans, a bipartisan plan is looking more appealing as the House GOP fails to unify around one plan.
But hard-line conservatives say moderates undercutting internal efforts to get on the same page.
“That’s switching teams in the middle of the game,” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said
The Hill’s Emily Brooks, Mychael Schnell and Aris Folley have more here.
