Who’s Running for Speaker of the House? | Politics | U.S. News – U.S. News & World Report

The House is set to elect a new speaker in the days ahead, following Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster and announcement that he would not run again. But the path forward in a slim GOP majority is expected to be a difficult one, as candidates must try to win the support of all but a handful of Republicans in the chamber to secure the gavel.

That task took McCarthy 15 rounds in January, precipitating his speakership’s demise just nine months later. Even so, a number of House Republicans are expected to jockey for the gavel, teeing up an eventful speaker fight to come.

The speaker’s job won’t be easy, with one showdown – funding the government – already on the horizon come mid-November. For now, Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, has stepped into the role of “speaker pro tempore” until a new speaker is elected. The appointment is open-ended, meaning he could be in the role for some time if the speaker battle drags on indefinitely.

House Republicans are expected to meet on Oct. 10 for a candidate forum, setting up a vote the following day.

These are the possible candidates for House speaker:

Rep. Steve Scalise, Louisiana Republican:

The No. 2 House Republican is considered to be the most likely candidate for the job, with ample allies throughout the conference, an affable reputation and fundraising chops. For the majority leader, who came to Congress in 2008, the post is one he’s eyed for years, spurring a rift between him and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy that’s played in the background of recent disputes. But Scalise, 57, leans more conservative than McCarthy, making him perhaps more palatable with the group of Republicans on the conference’s right flank that caused McCarthy so much headache – and, ultimately, his ouster.

Complicating the path forward for Scalise, who survived a shooting in 2017 that left him in critical condition, is a blood cancer diagnosis earlier this year, for which he’s been receiving treatment. Last month, he expressed that his treatment is going well, and his cancer had “dropped dramatically.” But there may be questions among the conference about whether he is up to the grueling job.

In a letter to colleagues announcing his bid for the gavel, Scalise described the nation being “pushed to the brink” by the Biden presidency, expressing an urgency to mend the conference’s “deep wounds” so that it can fight back.

“Our strength as a Conference comes from our unity, and we have seen when we unite as a Conference, we can deliver wins for the American people,” Scalise wrote.

Rep. Jim Jordan, Ohio Republican:

The House Judiciary committee chairman, known for his fiery television hits and investigative gusto, may have seemed like an unlikely candidate for speaker just years ago, as an outspoken critic positioned squarely along the party’s right flank. But the conservative firebrand has bowed to leadership more recently, earning himself the coveted seat atop the Judiciary Committee and wielding unfettered influence in the process.

That’s not to say he’s gone mainstream. Jordan, who was elected to Congress in 2006, is a top ally to President Donald Trump and has amplified his false election claims. He’s considered to be one of the most conservative members of Congress, setting an all-time record for voting with a conservative group and being among the founding members of the House Freedom Caucus.

In a letter to colleagues announcing his bid for the gavel, Jordan, 59, made a similar appeal to the importance of unity at what he called a “critical crossroads” in the nation’s history. But he also positioned himself as a bridge to the conservatives who have disrupted the chamber’s functioning this year, telling Fox News that he’s best equipped to bring “the eight people who voted in a way that I disagreed with” in the vote to oust McCarthy into the fold.

“You need someone who can unite the conference and, I think – just as importantly – unite the conservative and Republican movement across this country,” Jordan said. “That’s what I think I can do, that’s why I’m running for the job.”

Rep. Kevin Hern, Oklahoma Republican:

Hern, 61, serves as the chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee and was elected to the chamber in 2018. He has yet to announce a bid for the gavel, though he was nominated during the speaker fight in January.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, New York Republican:

The GOP conference chair, 39, is reportedly eyeing the majority leader post should it become available. But the staunch Trump ally who came to Congress in 2014 has been floated among those that have come up for McCarthy’s possible successor.

Rep. Byron Donalds, Florida Republican:

A handful of lawmakers have thrown their support behind the two-term lawmaker for speaker, though he has yet to announce plans to pursue the role. During the speaker fight in January, Donalds, 44, was floated as an alternative to McCarthy, but won only around 20 votes, though he’s considered a rising star among conservatives.

Former President Donald Trump:

Trump, 77, is reportedly considering visiting the Capitol ahead of a vote to offer himself up as a temporary candidate for speaker, given that the Constitution doesn’t specify the speaker has to be a member of Congress. But any potential candidacy from the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination would not only be a long shot, it would face questions about whether a candidate for speaker is eligible if they have been indicted, under House Republican rules.