Suits to Snipes: 7 of the most intriguing feuds being fought on Capitol Hill

7 most intriguing feuds between lawmakers on Capitol Hill

Although Capitol Hill feuds are nothing new, there have been some really nasty ones in the current Congress. The last 16 months have been packed with historic confrontations that have roiled both houses and significantly impacted how Congress operates, ranging from the extraordinary removal of a House Speaker to the obscenity-filled sniping between conservative hardliners. Let us take a look at 7 of the most intriguing feuds being fought on Capitol Hill.

1. Squabble between Kevin McCarthy and Matt Gaetz

In January 2023, Speaker Kevin McCarthy overcame conservative opposition and was victorious in 15 voting rounds, marking the longest vote for House Speaker since the American Civil War. Eight of those same hardliners would remove him from office nine months later, as McCarthy became the first Speaker to be removed since the country's inception. At the center of each of these ordeals stood Rep Matt Gaetz. During the long Speaker's race, Gaetz emerged as the face of the McCarthy conservative opposition. By voting "present" in the 14th round, Gaetz prevented McCarthy from winning, a move that nearly started a violent altercation on the House floor. Months later, Gaetz would do it once more to compel a vote on the resolution that ultimately result in McCarthy's dismissal.

2. The John Fetterman-Bob Menendez fight

One of the staunchest rivalries in the Senate appears to be between first-term Senator John Fetterman and seasoned Senator Bob Menendez, who is dealing with many felony allegations. Like more than half of the Senate Democratic Caucus, Fetterman has called on Menendez to resign from the Senate. Menendez is accused of taking bribes, obstructing justice, and operating as a foreign agent, among other offenses. However, Fetterman has gone above and beyond what many senators have done by directly challenging Menendez. For example, Fetterman once yelled at his colleague from New Jersey to step down as they passed each other on the Senate subway's escalators.

3. Marjorie Taylor Greene's criticism of Mike Johnson

Throughout Speaker Mike Johnson's brief term as Speaker, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has relentlessly criticized him. Last week, her demand for a vote on her motion to remove Johnson from office culminated in a forced floor vote on Wednesday, May 8. In a lopsided vote, Democrats raced to defend Johnson against the coup attempt, and her attempt failed. Despite this outcome, tensions between the two rivals remained high. The resolution, which charged the Speaker with a litany of 'betrayals' and painted him as a traitor to conservative causes for his willingness to compromise with Democrats on significant legislation, took more than 15 minutes to read on the chamber floor.

4. Rick Scott’s feud with Mitch McConnell

Sen Rick Scott and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell have been embroiled in a conflict for over two years, which reached its peak when Scott abruptly decided to run against McConnell for the top leadership position following the 2022 midterm elections. During the brief and contentious contest for leadership, McConnell and his supporters claimed that Scott, the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), had mishandled the attempt to retake the Senate. In contrast, Scott and his supporters contended that McConnell was to blame for the political setbacks because he had not presented a clear plan of action.

5. Marjorie Taylor Greene's clash with Lauren Boebert

Even while Marjorie Taylor Greene's rift with Speaker Mike Johnson has received more media attention, her animosity with Rep Lauren Boebert has been just as strong and even more colorful. In December 2022, as McCarthy was getting ready to run for Speaker of the House, with Greene, a supporter of McCarthy, taking on Boebert, a fierce opponent, the rivalry between the two became apparent. McCarthy overcame Boebert in the January 2023 Speaker's race, but not before the conservative firebrands got into a "shouting match" in a Capitol Hill restroom, according to The Daily Beast. Boebert, who subsequently attested to the conversation, claimed she advised Greene "don't be ugly".

6. Clash between Jared Moskowitz and James Comer

One of the most colorful and media attention-grabbing feuds in the House has been between Reps Jared Moskowitz and James Comer. It has primarily taken place on the public platform of the Oversight and Accountability Committee, which is in charge of the botched impeachment investigation of President Biden. In November, Comer and Moskowitz got into a heated exchange at a hearing when the Florida Democrat, echoing the charges against Biden, accused the Kentucky Republican of lending money to his brother. Comer told Moskowitz, "You look like a Smurf, here, just going around and all this stuff."

7. Steve Daines and Jon Tester's beef

The relationship between Steve Daines and Jon Tester, senators from Montana, is quite strained. And now, Daines has made it his goal to oust Tester. In a 2023 statement, Daines predicted that "each will have their careers ended by Montana voters", drawing a comparison between Tester and former Montana Governor Steve Bullock, a Democrat who lost his battle to unseat Daines in 2020 following an unsuccessful presidential attempt.