Axios

On the heels of two failed House speaker nominees, eight Republicans with varied experience levels are making their pitch Monday for why they should be next in line.

Why it matters: The next speaker will need to navigate another looming government shutdown and respond to the White House's $106 billion emergency funding request to aid Israel and Ukraine as well as bolster border security.

Kevin McCarthy's ouster as House speaker has led Republicans on the political journey of a lifetime — rife with plot twists, petty feuds, and even acknowledgments by GOP lawmakers that their party is not fit to govern.

Why it matters: 20 days later, the "broken" Republican conference is back where it started — hosting a closed-door forum to hear from candidates who may or may not be able to win 217 votes on the House floor.

92NY announced Monday that it's pausing its prestigious literary reading series after pushback for canceling an event with a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who has made comments critical of Israel.

The big picture: It's the latest example of those critical of Israel reporting that their events have been canceled or postponed, or their voices silenced in the media.

All of the Republicans running for House speaker have signed a pledge to support the eventual speaker nominee on the House floor, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Two nominees have flamed out this month after failing to get the 217 votes necessary to clinch the gavel, fueling concerns within the conference that Republicans are too fractious to coalesce around anyone.

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) pleaded not guilty Monday to an additional charge in the federal bribery case engulfing him, multiple outlets reported.

Driving the news: In a superseding indictment earlier this month, prosecutors charged Menendez, the former chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with conspiring to act as a foreign agent on behalf of Egypt.

Former President Obama warned Monday that a possible Israeli ground operation in the Gaza Strip in response to Hamas' surprise attack could "backfire" if Palestinian civilians aren't protected.

Why it matters: Israel has said it intends to eliminate Hamas' military capabilities in a future operation, but depending on the military tactics employed, doing so in a dense urban environment like Gaza could endanger thousands of people.

President Biden, when asked about whether the U.S. would support a potential Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal in exchange for the release of hostages, Biden said: "We should have those hostages released and then we can talk."

The big picture: Hamas on Monday released two elderly Israeli hostages for what it said were humanitarian reasons. The group is still holding more than 200 people, including Americans, hostage, according to Israeli officials.

"Behind the Curtain" is a new column by Axios CEO Jim VandeHei and co-founder Mike Allen, based on regular conversations with White House and congressional leaders, CEOs and top technologists.

Top U.S. officials tell us the threats of a war widening from the Gaza Strip are real and rising, forcing the Pentagon to put more U.S. forces on higher alert for quick deployment and rush additional weapons systems to the region.

Why it matters: Red-hot rhetoric by Israel and Iran — including publicly threatening to widen the war — has U.S. officials on edge. "It's quite a dangerous situation," a senior administration official told us. "It could all veer off the rails really quickly. The whole region could be in conflict."

Three former members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus — including the current governor of New Mexico — are teaming up to create a new super PAC to get more Hispanic Democrats elected to Congress.

Why it matters: The battle for Congress in 2024 will run, in part, through districts with significant Hispanic populations.