In the past few weeks, the chaos surrounding the Republican Party’s selection of a new Speaker of the House of Representatives has been unprecedented. Speaker Paul Ryan’s announcement that he would be resigning from his position has left the party scrambling to choose a new leader, yet division within the party makes the task difficult to complete. With the lack of unity, conservative media figures have taken it upon themselves to contribute the disruption.
Fox personality Sean Hannity and former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin have been two of the most vocal proponents of the cause. Hannity has gone out of his way to vocally advocate for a candidate other than House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, claiming the Republican establishment’s choice was “toxic.” Sarah Palin, also using her voice within conservative media, mocked McCarthy’s candidacy by saying, “what kind of leadership” is this.
These outspoken figures have had remarkable influence in the election process by hyping up their opposition and motivating their followers. Although not a representative of the Republican party, Ann Coulter, another conservative voice, threw her two cents into the fray. Coulter believes that the current political climate requires an outsider to lead, as Vice President Mike Pence is “not a legislator”.
Citizens of the United States clearly have a multitude of sources to access information, whether it be from government representatives or media outlets. However, when conservative media figures fuel an issue like the election of a Speaker of the House, it helps to perpetuate the chaotic and indecisive atmosphere that the Republican Party is currently facing. Ultimately, the decision of who will run the House will not be made by Hannity or Palin, but the power of their words should not be discounted in the meantime.
