Two Republicans vying to lead the US House of Representatives made their pitches Tuesday, as the party struggles to end a bitter civil war that has thwarted quick action on the Israel crisis and other urgent business.
The 221-strong Republican contingent that controls the lower chamber of Congress staged a "candidate forum" to pick a replacement for speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted last week in a mutiny from the far right.
Neither of the declared candidates -- Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan -- has won enough support to emerge as a clear frontrunner, raising fears of a prolonged paralysis on Capitol Hill.
But Scalise voiced confidence that he could lead his party out of crisis after he and Jordan made their case to colleagues in the private meeting for the role of Washington's top lawmaker.
"What people have really liked about my approach is that I've been a unifier. I've been somebody who has built coalitions throughout my entire career, and we've delivered big wins," he told reporters.
"And people want to see us get back on track. We need a Congress that's working tomorrow, we need to get Congress back to work."
The leadership vacuum had prompted speculation over a possible comeback by McCarthy so that Congress can pass legislation to address the crisis in Israel, which is reeling from a deadly weekend attack by Hamas militants.
McCarthy -- who became the first speaker in US history to be ousted in the middle of his term -- had initially appeared open to the possibility, but ultimately ruled out a long-shot second grab for the gavel.
"I asked them in there -- I know a lot of them want to nominate me -- I told them, 'Please do not nominate me,'" he revealed, adding that he would be supporting whichever candidate was the party's pick.
While Scalise, McCarthy's longtime deputy, has pitched himself as the candidate who can heal the party's bitter divides, Jordan is seen as a more divisive figure -- but has the coveted endorsement of former president Donald Trump, and is a darling of the right.
House Republicans heard from both candidates during intense talks that went on for two hours, with the internal party vote to select the nominee scheduled for Wednesday morning.
"I will be supporting Jim Jordan tomorrow. He answered every question honestly and with energy," said Nancy Mace, one of eight Republicans who forced McCarthy towards the exit door.
"That is the bare minimum that the American people want, it's what the American people need, and it's what the American people deserve."
The contest has taken on a heightened sense of urgency in the wake of the bloodshed in Israel, which left more than 1,000 dead in the worst attack in the country's 75-year history. Another 900 people have been killed in Gaza, officials say.
President Joe Biden has pledged US help, and Democrats have been pushing for emergency aid to be wrapped into a broader Ukraine-focused funding package being prepared in the Senate.
Almost 400 lawmakers introduced a symbolic resolution standing with Israel, and a separate group drafted bipartisan legislation to expand the White House's power to sanction Hamas.
But none of the measures can be taken up until a new speaker is elected, and lawmakers are also unable to sign off on emergency aid.
California congressman Mike Garcia described Jordan and Scalise as American heroes who understood the direction the Republican Party needs to take.
"My question to both of them is, how do you communicate to the middle third of America?" he added.
"We're good at communicating to our base -- to the hardcore Republican districts -- but it's districts like mine, the swing seats, that are really going to define whether or not we keep the majority."
