For Republicans, it’s a question with no clear answer: Who becomes House speaker after Kevin McCarthy?
Despite former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio on Friday, it’s not at all certain that any of the GOP candidates will be able to round up enough votes — 218, if all lawmakers are present and voting — to ascend to one of the most powerful positions in government, second in line to the presidency.
Jordan and a fellow longtime party stalwart and hard-liner, Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana, have begun making their case though phone calls and texts to colleagues.
With the House trying to pick a new leader as soon as next week, others are waiting in the wings, including Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern, who as chair of the Republican Study Committee leads the largest faction of Republicans in the chamber.
McCarthy’s chaotic election as speaker in January took 15 punishing rounds and left him in a weakened position that contributed to his unprecedented downfall. Now, top Republicans want party members to work it out behind closed doors before a floor vote.
Republicans on Tuesday plan to kick off the process, in private, at an evening forum where candidates can address their colleagues. Republicans would vote on an endorsement, with only a majority tally needed. But a decision could be delayed.
Trump said early Friday on his Truth Social platform that he was backing Jordan. The former president, the front-runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, had been in talks to visit Capitol Hill next week, most likely for that candidate forum, according to three people familiar with the discussions who spoke on the condition of anonymity before an official announcement.
The real contest could come as soon as Wednesday when the House next convenes. But that attempt to elect a speaker could easily be delayed if there is no consensus choice by then.
Democrats will also vote, but Republicans have a slim majority and hold the power to choose the next speaker. Don’t expect a crossover or nonpartisan candidate.
A look at the lawmakers vying to be speaker and the demands they are already facing from some Republicans:
Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio
Jordan, a founder of the House Freedom Caucus, is likely to be the favored choice of the hard-line conservatives now driving the Republican Conference. The Judiciary Committee’s leader has played a key role in Republicans’ impeachment inquiry of Biden.
The Ohio Republican, first elected in 2007, had tried to help McCarthy’s ultimately doomed effort to hold Republicans together. Jordan had been a key McCarthy advocate since Republicans regained the majority.
Jordan, 59, was also one of Trump’s closest allies when Trump was president. Trump even awarded Jordan the Presidential Medal of Freedom five days after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
“I feel like I can unite the conservative voters across the country and reach out to the moderates in our conference as well,” Jordan told reporters Wednesday.
He is leading the push against the “weaponization” of the Justice Department, which has brought several cases against Trump. Jordan was one of Trump’s chief defenders on the Judiciary Committee during Trump’s two impeachments.
Perhaps most significantly, Jordan worked closely with Trump and White House aides in the weeks and days before the Capitol riot, strategizing about how Congress could help Trump overturn his loss to Biden. Jordan also refused to comply with subpoena from the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack as lawmakers tried to gather more information about his role.
Jordan once coached wrestling at Ohio State, and former wrestlers said in 2018 that he turned a blind eye to complaints that a now-dead team doctor was sexually abusing the athletes. Jordan has denied those allegations.
Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana
Scalise, now the top-ranking Republican in the House, is seen as an ardent conservative. He would be a logical pick for many Republicans. He brings years of experience in leadership. Scalise was majority whip from 2014-2018 and minority whip from 2019-2022.
