Six GOP lawmakers – including three new candidates – are running for House speaker after Republican Whip Tom Emmer dropped out only four hours after being nominated as chaos continues.
The House has been engulfed in chaos for almost a month after eight Republicans led by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., voted to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in an unprecedented action.
Emmer became the latest victim of the Congressional GOP clown show as he withdrew from the running and upended the party’s bid to install a speaker after 21 days. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, tried and failed three times last week after Majority Leader Steve Scalise backed out before a vote on his nomination even hit the floor.
A McCarthy ally also confirmed to AlertContent.com that an alternative ticket with McCarthy as speaker and Jordan as assistant speaker is being floated – however they are not declared candidates. The next Republican speaker nominee can only afford to lose four votes, which creates a nearly impossible task in a divided conference.
AlertContent.com breaks down the six candidates who will be making their case for the top GOP role Tuesday evening. Three are entering the race for the first time as dysfunction continues to spiral on Capitol Hill.
GOP Conference Vice Chair Mike Johnson
Johnson, R-La., is a well-known member who was the runner-up to Emmer during the nomination vote earlier Tuesday.
The Louisiana Republican got 97 total votes in the final round to Emmer’s 117. Five votes went to ‘other’ candidates and one lawmaker voted ‘present.’
He says he is running on an ‘urgency’ platform.
He currently sits on the House Judiciary Committee and is an ally of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, as he is currently serving in a leadership position.
Johnson, R-La., is a well-known member who is running on an ‘urgency’ platform
‘We all agree the urgency of this hour demands a specific plan and bold, decisive action,’ Johnson, 51, wrote in a letter over the weekend to his fellow GOP lawmakers.
‘It also demands a leader who will humble himself each day before Almighty God, selflessly serve the full membership of this body, and fight ceaselessly for our core conservative principles and policies,’ he continued.
Johnson spokesperson Corinne Day told AlertContent.com on Monday that he is having many productive conversations with his colleagues and ‘feels good’ about where he is currently.
Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern
Hern, R-Okla., dropped out shortly after the candidate forum begun Tuesday evening and said he was supporting Mike Johnson.
He is the head of the Republican Study Committee, which is the largest conservative group on Capitol Hill.
On the fourth vote Tuesday, Hern and Rep. Byron Donalds tied at 25 votes – leading to Donalds dropping voluntarily and Hern’s elimination.
He announced his bid last week after supporting Jim Jordan during the three rounds of votes.
‘We need a different type of leader who has a proven track record of success, which is why I’m running for Speaker of the House,’ Hern, 61, stated on X.
Hern, who also spoke with Trump, distributed a handout along with McDonald’s hamburgers to House offices where he emphasized the need for leadership to tackle spending cuts and border crossings.
Hern, R-Okla., is the head of the Republican Study Committee, which is the largest conservative group on Capitol Hill
Hern handed out hamburgers along with a flyer touting himself for speaker
Byron Donalds
Donalds, 44, of Florida, is seen as the most pro-Trump candidate of the pack. He is a ‘rising’ Republican star who can be found doing Fox News hits and other media quite regularly.
He tied with Hern in the fourth round of voting Tuesday at 25 votes.
He confirmed that he spoke with Trump a few days ago and he believes ‘the former president is going to be satisfied.’
Donalds is also a member of the far-right Freedom Caucus, whose members voted to oust McCarthy 20 days ago. He says that although he is a member of the House Freedom Caucus (HFC), he has ‘worked very closely’ with members of the center Main Street Caucus.
‘We have worked well together & we have built a relationship of trust. They know where I stand & they trust me that when I say something, I mean it,’ he said on Newsmax over the weekend.
The HFC called for the House to cancel a previously scheduled two-week district working period before the Thanksgiving holiday if a speaker has not yet been elected. They put out a memo notice entitled ‘no speaker, no recess.’
Donalds has the backing of Rep. Mike Waltz – who previously supported Jim Jordan’s bid for speaker – and also Rep. Carlos Gimenez, who opposed Jordan each round.
Donalds, R-Fla., is seen as the most pro-Trump candidate of the pack
Mark Green
Green, R-Tenn., is the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee and new to the speaker race drama.
A spokesperson confirmed he would be running Tuesday evening.
He is pushing for a stronger and safer border and has slammed Biden’s DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas for ‘weak’ border policies.
He previously told AlertContent.com that an impeachment of Mayorkas is a very real possibility in the future.
‘Yes, there’s a potential that we could turn this into an inquiry now, and I think it’s the first time I’ve said it in the media actually,’ he said during an exclusive interview last month.
Green, R-Tenn., is the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee
Chuck Fleischmann
Fleischmann, also from Tennessee, also threw his hat in the ring for the first time.
He sits on the Appropriations Committee and the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology.
Fleischmann, also from Tennessee, also threw his hat in the ring for the first time
Roger Williams
Williams, R-Texas, is known well by the conference as he is the coach for the annual congressional baseball game for charity.
He is running for speaker for the first time, entering the race after a plethora of internal GOP drama.
Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, threw hit hat in the ring for speaker Tuesday