Charlie Kirk Warns Republicans Heading Towards ‘Civil War’

Conservative radio talk-show host Charlie Kirk has said the Republican Party is facing a “civil war”, thanks to the ongoing hunt for a new speaker in the House of Representatives.

Speaking on “The Charlie Kirk Show” on channel Real America’s Voice, Kirk gave his opinions about the speaker votes, which has now become wide open again following Jim Jordan’s exit from the race. Jordan, an Ohio representative, failed to win the speakership on Friday in a third round of voting, faring worse in the latest round than he had in two previous failed votes.

Grant Reeher, political science professor at Syracuse University, New York, told Newsweek via phone that the present situation is a manifestation of something that’s been taking place within the Republican Party for a very long time, dating back to former Speaker John Boehner. “For lack of a better term, you’ve got this fringy group on the right that are very intransigent, and when you look back and they’ve been intransigent, they have gotten what they want,” Reeher said. “So, they look at it as leverage.”

Kirk opened his podcast episode, titled “Republicans Feud While Biden Wrecks America”, by reading the names of the 25 House Republicans who voted against Jordan’s bid to become Speaker. The president of Turning Point USA added that the “establishment, the moderates, are rejecting Jim Jordan for petty and stupid reasons.”

“Jim Jordan has the support of Kevin McCarthy, the person that these moderates support. So what is it that is preventing them from getting behind Jim Jordan?” Kirk said. “The answer is sophomoric revenge. That’s what this is. It is nothing more than grown infants with suits, ties, dresses and congressional pins, that are running your country.”

Kirk said the rebel Republicans should “suck it up” and that “high-school student councils operate better than this.”

Kirk added that a Republican civil war “is looming”, blaming the rifts in the party on ideological differences between GOP camps.

“In reality, we have two parties in one. One party is supported by 80 percent of the people, 90 percent of the people,” he said, referring to GOP voters, without citing any evidence for his claim. Kirk added that this group support closing the border, stopping intervention in foreign wars, and balancing the US budget, cutting spending and telling the truth.

Kirk said he had seen this dynamic coming while attending a Republican National Committee meeting in California. He added that a GOP member from Missouri told him that he, along with Tucker Carlson and Steve Bannon, “are what is wrong with the Republican Party, you are what is wrong with conservative movement.”

Kirk said the moderate wing of the GOP is “so disconnected, living in a different reality” from what grassroots Republicans want from their party.

“I have seen this schism coming. We’ve been warning about it, and we said, ‘Well, maybe we can kind of have a fusion, a force marriage of, because of how terrible the bad guys are. How terrible the Marxists are.’ But honestly, a debt ceiling bill and a CR bill is the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Kirk added.

Kirk has been a vocal opponent of the ongoing rifts causing mayhem in the Republican Party and his support of Jordan to become the next House speaker. He posted on X, formerly Twitter, on October 20: “Imagine how much healthier the Republican Party would be with Jim Jordan as Speaker, Rick Scott as Senate Minority Leader, and Harmeet Dhillon as RNC Chair. Instead the swamp knifes them all in the back. Pretty unbelievable how devoted the Republican establishment is to bombing foreign countries, keeping our border open, and spending us into oblivion. Sad!”

Without an elected speaker, the House remains in a state of effective stasis. The gridlock has led to a precarious scenario. Congress faces the looming possibility of a government shutdown next month, while international conflicts in Israel and Ukraine continue to escalate.

The contest for the speakership has gone on for over two weeks, with still no resolution in sight. Following the failure of Jordan’s bid, multiple Republicans have thrown their hats into the ring. Former speaker Kevin McCarthy is backing Rep. Tom Emmer, who serves as House majority whip.