The Israel-Hamas war is adding new urgency to the US House speaker fight as the lower chamber remains paralyzed in its work since the ousting of former Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

The GOP's intraparty fight is even more critical after the attack on one of America's closest allies.

Without a speaker, the House can't pass emergency military aid for Israel or a spending bill to avert a government shutdown by mid-November.

Congress is scheduled to return to D.C. tomorrow to tackle the consequential vote.

So far, though, only Republican Representative Jeff Van Drew has publicly taken a stance telling the price of AC he'll back conservative Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan in the race.

New Jersey's other two GOP members have representatives Tom Kean Jr and Chris Smith.

They haven't declared who they'd back.

And it's unclear just how quickly a new leader will be elected.

For more, I'm joined now by Democratic Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman.

Congresswoman Bonnie Watson.

Coleman, thank you for joining me.

Again, we talk about this fight over the next speaker under more difficult circumstances, that being the situation in Israel.

Can you tell us where you stand on that?

And obviously, I'm sure that there have been a lot of talks in Congress about sending military aid.

So we're not we're not in D.C. at the moment.

Congress is so suspended in a crazy animation, Your Honor, but you all continue your conversations while you're at home.

You know, but I stand solidly behind Israel.

Israel has a right to protect itself.

This was a terrorist act on the part of Hamas.

This was an act of war against innocent people and nonmilitary installations.

The taking of hostages is just barbaric and horrific.

And we need to be solidly with Israel as we stop this moment.

But we also need to understand that there is innocent loss of life on the other side as well.

And we need to look at the long term issues here that need to be addressed.

There's never going to be safety and security and peace and harmony until there is an understanding that Palestinians and Israelis will need to live together in proximity to one another with dignity and respect.

And so I'm praying mightily.

I know people who are there now.

I just had a long text conversation with someone who lives there now.

Thank God he and his family are safe.

And I stand with Israel as we make sure that it can secure its communities and its people.

How is this affecting the discussions about the next speaker?

The House obviously is unable to do work in terms of passing military aid or any type of emergency expenditures to send to Israel without someone in the speaker's seat.

So this is a worse time that we could have had this situation with Israel as well as with Ukraine, because we're not in a position right now to be led by the majority.

And that is a blemish, a stain on our institution and our ability to govern.

Republicans have decided that they would rather hold on to loyalties to a former president who has done nothing to help anybody in this country than to do the business for which they were elected.

And we have a lot of things that need to be done, not the least of which is to see that both Israel has what it needs to ensure its security and Ukraine as is need.

Now, I don't really know what's happening down there in Washington, because right now those discussions are among the Republicans behind Republican closed doors.

But all I know is at the end of the day, somebody has to have 217 votes.

I know that we've got 211 or 212 for the person that I think they should be the speaker, and that would be Hakeem Jeffries.

And we would only need three, four, five, maybe, you know, reasonable thinking, moderate Republicans who want to see government get back to work.

Well, let me let me ask you about that, Congresswoman.

At this hour, it appears that a good number of the GOP caucus are leaning toward Jim Jordan as the next speaker.

Do you see him as someone who could carry out the mission of the House and the agenda that is before, you know, Jim Jordan is not a leader.

He's a divider.

He's a he's a very contentious individual.

His views, allies.

He ignored the institution that he wants to lead.

Now, when he was subpoenaed to come and talk about his shenanigans during the January six insurrection.

Absolutely not.

He has no integrity and he has no capacity to lead.

You all are back tomorrow.

Yes.

And on the Hill, what can we expect in terms of a vote?

Do you have any idea about the schedule for the next couple of days?

I have no idea.

I'm not sure Republicans even know what they're going to do as the majority in the House of Representatives right now.

But I strongly suspect that we're not going to have any kind of business on the floor until they're reasonably assured that they have whatever votes they need.

And it's a minimum of 270.

So we may be in for another really rough patch like we had the first time we voted for McCarthy.

Not to mention the clock is ticking to avert a government shutdown.

Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, thank you for joining me.

Thank you for having me.