The Issue: House Republicans’ disagreement on whether to elect Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker.

I’m a Republican. We have waited for the opportunity to lead and get ahead of the Democrats and elect Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House (“Grow up!” Jan. 4).

Now we have these infantile members behaving like idiots. Who ever thought of challenging McCarthy? He is best for the job.

This is insane behavior and makes us look weak and divided. We do not need people like this in Congress. We need them to shut up, grow up and elect the man.

Kate Phelan

Boca Raton, Fla.

As the Republicans do their best to imitate “The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight,” we taxpayers sit aghast at their nonsense.

Over the past two years, all we heard was how the Republicans were going to set the country straight, restore sanity in Congress and bring much-needed relief to all citizens.

We know how that went. Let’s face the truth — these are not people of honor. They have no allegiance to anything but themselves.

Rep.-elect George Santos is not an anomaly. He is what every other politician is. Whether they’re left or right makes little difference anymore. Each is a party of one.

In the end, the taxpayers are the biggest losers and they will pay the highest price.

John Fleming

Punta Gorda, Fla.

House Republicans should learn from history. In 1992, Ross Perot ran for president as an independent. Many Republicans voted for him instead of President George H. W. Bush.

In doing so, they handed the White House to Bill Clinton. He in turn brought Hillary Clinton into the national spotlight.

History is the best teacher. Be united now — or pay the price later.

Joe Zeloof

Hamilton, NJ

The GOP is taking the necessary political maneuver of separating its useless and feckless establishmentarian hierarchy from the MAGA mandate.

Why the criticism and feigned media shock and horror? It’s called principle, and without it, the existing GOP will be just as useless to the law-abiding American middle class as the progressive, statist socialists.

Don’t be fooled by McCarthy. He’s a failed “young gun” with no bullets.

J. Cary

Peekskill

The Republican members of the House, in denying McCarthy the role of speaker, are playing right into the hands of the Democrats who, if they are not careful, will steal the votes and somehow elect Rep. Hakeem Jeffries as speaker.

The Republicans simply cannot allow this to happen. They must com­promise and either rally around McCarthy or nominate someone else.

The Republicans allowed themselves to be bullied by former President Donald Trump in the midterms, and look where that got them. There was no red wave, and now they are on the verge of screwing up the House speaker’s role.

It is time for calm heads to prevail. It’s time to show strength and unity. It is time to elect McCarthy.

Alan Brooks

Brooklyn

I’m done with Republicans. They can’t even get together and elect a speaker of the House in these troubled times.

You will not see another dime in donations from me, as I will tear up every request I get in the mail.

Harry Yasso

East Moriches

The lack of cohesion among Republicans during the speaker election is being celebrated by the Democrats — who, as we know, can be counted on to act as a monolithic bloc in their party’s race to the bottom.

I prefer to view it as evidence of the ability of (at least some) Republicans to actually think for themselves.

In doing so, they display that they have the courage to assess the situation and make a case for their view in a public forum.

Unfortunately, this frequently results in Democrats prevailing in their never-ending quest to destroy this country.

Sharon Wylie

Westport, Conn.

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