House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik made an announcement on Sunday on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating that nine candidates have entered the race for speaker after Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, withdrew his bid last week. Stefanik, R-N.Y., mentioned that the deadline for announcing a speaker bid was noon E.T. on Sunday. The GOP candidate forum is scheduled to take place at 6:30 p.m. ET on Monday, followed by an internal conference vote at 9 a.m. on Tuesday. Speaker Pro Tem Patrick McHenry has expressed his intention to move to a floor vote “as soon as Tuesday.” After suffering a defeat on the House floor for the third time last week, Jordan’s bid for speaker fell apart on Friday when he lost a vote of confidence during a closed-door meeting of Republicans. Lawmakers revealed that the internal, secret-ballot vote showed 86 Republicans supporting Jordan and 112 stating their desire to move on and select someone else.
Here are the candidates who have announced their bid for speaker after Jordan dropped out:
1. Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota: Emmer, the No. 3 Republican in leadership, officially announced his bid on Saturday with an endorsement from ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. In his letter to colleagues, Emmer emphasized the importance of teamwork, communication, respect, and learning from past mistakes.
2. GOP Conference Vice Chair Mike Johnson of Louisiana: Johnson announced his speakership bid on Saturday, stressing the need for a leader who will prioritize conservative principles and policies. Serving his fourth term, Johnson is an attorney and former talk show host who supported Jordan’s speakership bid.
3. Jack Bergman of Michigan: Bergman, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant general and fourth-term lawmaker, announced his bid on Friday, emphasizing the urgency of selecting a Speaker to ensure the funding and security of the federal government, military, and allies.
4. Byron Donalds of Florida: Donalds, a second-term lawmaker, announced his speakership bid on Friday, pledging to focus on securing the border, responsible government funding, advancing a conservative vision, and expanding the Republican majority. He was previously nominated for speaker by his conservative Freedom Caucus colleagues.
5. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma: Hern, chairman of the Republican Study Committee, launched his bid on Friday, emphasizing the need for unity and a leader with a proven track record of success. He had supported Jordan’s bid for speaker and expressed his intention to bring a business perspective to the role.
6. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania: Meuser, a former business executive, expressed his consideration of a bid after Jordan dropped out. Meuser, who entered Congress in 2019, highlighted his business perspective and focus on consensus-building.
7. Gary Palmer of Alabama: Palmer, a fifth-term congressman, announced his bid on Friday. As the chair of the Republican Policy Committee, he aims to unite the conference and bring his conservative values to the role.
8. Austin Scott of Georgia: Scott, who challenged Jordan for speaker, announced his intention to run again after Jordan withdrew. He emphasized the importance of acting like a majority and expressed his support for Jordan’s initial bid.
9. Pete Sessions of Texas: Sessions, a former Rules Committee chairman, announced his bid on Friday, believing that he can lead as a conservative who can unite the conference.
Source: NBCNews.com
