But even more pitched battles are underway.
asserted
battles → pitch → ?
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., won’t pursue the minority leader post.
asserted
Johnson → pursue → post
President Trump doesn’t always see eye-to-eye with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., but the president hasn’t demanded a change there.
asserted
president → see → change
Some incoming House and Senate progressives have expressed their reservations about House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., despite the stunning Democratic wins from Tuesday night.
asserted
progressives → express → night
Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed, D-Mich., has long warned he might not support Schumer for Majority Leader.
uncertain
he → warn → Leader
"If you’re Chuck Schumer, I’m dangerous," El-Sayed advised in late June.
asserted
Sayed → ’re → June
The Michigan Democrat ducked the question when asked about supporting Schumer on NBC just after the election.
asserted
Democrat → duck → election
"I am going to vote for the option that gives me the best chance of getting money out of politics.
asserted
that → go → politics
Putting money in pockets and passing Medicare for all," said El-Sayed.
asserted
Sayed → put → all
"I'm interested to see, working with the rest of our caucus, what options we've got.
asserted
we → see → options
By Thursday on CNN, El-Sayed was reiterating his support for Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who hasn’t announced he’s running for anything.
asserted
he → reiterate → anything
"I think he'd be an amazing Senate majority leader," said El-Sayed of Van Hollen.
asserted
Sayed → think → Hollen
But even other newcomers weren’t committing to Schumer.
asserted
newcomers → commit → Schumer
"No, I will not (support Schumer)," Sen.-elect Adam Hamilton, D-Kan., said on Fox before the election.
asserted
Hamilton → support → election
"And I've already said I'm not going to vote (for him).
asserted
I → say → him
"
"I think it's really clear that both parties are ready for a new generation of leadership," Sen.-elect Annie Andrews, D-S.C., told colleague Bret Baier.
asserted
Andrews → think → Baier
"I told Sen. Schumer that I'm going to support somebody else," offered Sen.-elect Troy Jackson, D-Maine.
asserted
Jackson → tell → somebody
But Schumer is shrugging that off.
asserted
Schumer → shrug → that
"I'll be re-elected as majority leader," Schumer said when asked by reporters on Wednesday.
asserted
Schumer → re → Wednesday
"But the issue is focusing on the American people and what they want."
Schumer only needs around 29 of his members to support him in a secret caucus vote to become majority leader.
asserted
29 → focus → vote
That’s a majority of expected Senate Democrats who will serve next year.
asserted
who → ’ → Democrats
At least five members of the Democratic Socialists of America are pledging to withhold their support for Jeffries as the first Black House speaker in U.S. history unless they secure commitments for their agenda.
asserted
they → pledge → agenda
The successful candidate for speaker requires an outright majority of the entire House — 218 votes of 435, if all Representatives-elect cast ballots — when the new Congress convenes Jan. 3.
asserted
Congress → require → ballots
Keep in mind that House Democrats may score more than 260 seats once all races are settled.
uncertain
races → keep → seats
So, he can afford dozens of defections.
asserted
he → afford → defections
For House Republicans, Johnson may have signaled his future last month when speaking to colleague Aishah Hasnie.
uncertain
Johnson → signal → Hasnie
"If God moves on our hearts and says we should go back to my hometown of Shreveport and start a lawn business, I'll do that," said Johnson.
asserted
Johnson → move → that
Now it’s far from certain that Johnson will soon channel Groundskeeper Willie from the Simpsons.
asserted
Johnson → ’ → Simpsons
But perhaps becoming "The Lawnmower Man" is a better option for Johnson than getting mowed down by your own colleagues in a bid for minority leader.
asserted
becoming → become → leader
Maybe the grass IS greener back in Louisiana.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, are running to become the House’s top Republican.
asserted
Scalise → run → Louisiana
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., wants to return as minority whip.
asserted
Emmer → want → whip
He’s facing a challenge from Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas.
asserted
He → face → Pfluger
But here’s the trick.
asserted
trick → ’ → ?
How do these House Republicans win the leadership positions yet maintain their own coalitions?
asserted
Republicans → win → coalitions
It’s unclear if Republicans think that Jordan and Scalise are right for the party — right now.
uncertain
Jordan → ’ → party
Both are aligned with President Trump.
asserted
Both → align → Trump
And some Republicans hope to move past that.
asserted
Republicans → hope → that
Regardless, Democrats campaigned on two things: the cost of living and holding the Trump administration accountable.
asserted
administration → campaign → living
But what does the Democrats’ legislative agenda look like?
asserted
agenda → look → what
This isn’t like 1994, when former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., famously crafted the 10-point Contract with America as a pledge to voters as to what Republicans would do if they flipped the House for the first time in 40 years.
asserted
they → craft → years
…and 34 more, not listed.
The Aporia
