Kevin McCarthy says he’s willing to return to speakership - latest

Ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy didn’t rule out returning to the role atop House leadership if enough members of his party would be willing to back his comeback.

Appearing on Hugh Hewitt’s radio programme on Monday, Mr McCarthy said, “Whatever the conference wants, I will do”.

At the press conference shortly after his removal on Tuesday, Mr McCarthy said: “I will not run for speaker again. I’ll have the conference pick somebody else.”

But as it’s unclear if anyone will be able to reach the required 218 votes, Mr Hewitt asked Mr McCarthy if he would put his name back in contention to break a deadlock.

“Look, the conference has to make that decision,” Mr McCarthy said.

This comes as Fox News’ plans to hold a televised House speaker debate was shortlived after the three candidates all appeared to pull out of the event.

The event was quickly scrapped – just hours after its announcement on Friday – as backlash from members of the GOP prompted the three candidates to drop out.

The House is expected to hold a vote on Wednesday to potentially elect the next person to take the gavel.

Key Points

Trump secretly plotted to become speaker in January
VOICES: Would a Speaker Jim Jordan doom the House GOP majority?
House Speaker candidates will no longer appear in TV interview
Kevin McCarthy says he’ll run for reelection after resignation rumours
Senator tells House colleagues to ‘follow your heart, but take your brain with you’ and ‘be sure to take your meds’

House Rules chair says GOP can depart from deal with far-right on spending cuts

19:30 , Gustaf Kilander

House Rules Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) told Politico that the GOP no longer has to abide by a previous spending deal cutting back appropriations made last June with far-right members of its caucus.

“This agreement was faulty from the beginning. It’s changed over time, and now in a sense, it doesn’t exist at all because McCarthy isn’t the speaker anymore,” Mr Cole said. “So we’re not really bound by this agreement now. That will be an interesting thing the new speaker will have to hash out.”

Lincoln Project publishes video mocking short McCarthy speakership: ‘2023-2023'

19:00 , Gustaf Kilander

The Lincoln Project shared a mocking video of Republicans blasting their own party members for removing Kevin McCarthy from the speakership.

“What do you think his Speaker tombstone should read?” the Lincoln Project wrote on X.

What do you think his Speaker tombstone should read? pic.twitter.com/rFl1NnKJHT
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) October 9, 2023

Democrat introduces resolution that would block Trump from speakership

18:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Rep Brendan Boyle (D-PA) introduced a resolution which would require a speaker of the House to be a member of the chamber, a move that would block former President Donald Trump from assuming the role.

H.Res.761 would amend “the Rules of the House of Representatives to limit the eligibility for nomination to serve as Speaker of the House of Representatives to Members and Members-elect of the House”.

The resolution was introduced on Friday.

Colorado Democrat says ‘Republicans must call House back into session’ amid national security concerns

18:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Rep Jason Crow (D-CO) wrote on X on Monday that the “Republicans must call House back into session immediately. Our national security can’t wait”.

Israel is at war- meanwhile:

1. House is stalled until Republicans select Speaker candidate;

2. Senate is out this week;

3. No confirmed US ambassador to Israel;

4. Ukraine aid package isn’t moving;

5. Tuberville continues barricade 300+ military noms.

Republicans must…
— Rep. Jason Crow (@RepJasonCrow) October 8, 2023

Vindman says ‘nonfunctioning Congress with no speaker has invited our enemy’s aggression'

17:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Alexander Vindman, one of the top witnesses in Donald Trump’s first impeachment, wrote on X on Monday that “the disarray in US politics & the chaos wrought in our government, a nonfunctioning Congress with no speaker & hundreds of military promotions on hold resulting in inadequate staffing in many critical commands, has invited our enemy’s aggression”.

“MAGA & GOP are complicit!” he added.

Jordan ‘actively conspired with Trump to overturn the election results'

17:00 , Gustaf Kilander

The left-leaning magazine Mother Jones wrote in a piece on Monday that speaker candidate Rep Jim Jordan (R-OH) “was one of only a handful of congressional Republicans who actively conspired with Trump to overturn the election results”:

As he runs for House speaker, Republicans appear eager to ignore that. Yet by embracing Jordan they tie themselves further to that attack on democracy and the Constitution.

Jordan was an early and enthusiastic recruit in Trump’s war on the republic and reality—in public and in private.

McCarthy appears open to return to speakership: ‘Whatever the conference wants, I will do'

16:47 , Gustaf Kilander

Ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy didn’t rule out returning to the role atop House leadership if enough members of his party would be willing to back his comeback.

Appearing on Hugh Hewitt’s radio programme on Monday, Mr McCarthy said, “Whatever the conference wants, I will do”.

At the press conference shortly after his removal on Tuesday, Mr McCarthy said: “I will not run for speaker again. I’ll have the conference pick somebody else.”

But as it’s unclear if anyone will be able to reach the required 218 votes, Mr Hewitt asked Mr McCarthy if he would put his name back in contention to break a deadlock.

“Look, the conference has to make that decision,” Mr McCarthy said.

Nancy Mace joins Trump in endorsing Jim Jordan for speaker

16:30 , Kelly Rissman

South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace endorsed Rep Jim Jordan to become the new House speaker, echoing former President Donald Trump in advocating for the Ohio Republican to replace Kevin McCarthy.

“I am going to be supporting Jim Jordan for speaker,” the South Carolina Republican said on Face the Nation on Sunday.

She applauded Mr Jordan’s “work ethic” and “his ability to just run circles around everyone with regards to policy and pushing forward.”

“We’ve been one of the least productive Congresses inside of 30 years and he’s going to be a workhorse for our country,” she added.

“I want a speaker who will keep their word and who will get the job done,” Rep Mace said. She was one of only eight Republicans to vote to oust Mr McCarthy from his post last week in a historic vote. Since the vote, Ms Mace said she’s being “threatened” by her Republican colleagues to be removed from committees and the conference.

Matt Gaetz says losing his seat would be price worth paying for ousting McCarthy

16:00 , John Bowden

Matt Gaetz says he isn’t worried about challenges from within his own party after successfully leading the ousting of Kevin McCarthy from his speakership role last week.

The Republican congressman and longtime close ally of Donald Trump was on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday after he successfully led seven other Republicans in voting to kick Mr McCarthy out of his job on Tuesday. Doing so made Mr McCarthy one of the shortest-serving House speakers in history and paralysed the lower chamber of Congress until a new speaker can be elected.

It also cemented Mr McCarthy’s reputation as one of the weakest speakers in memory, given that he was unable to convince a single Democrat to vote in favour of saving him; despite outreach from moderates, the Democratic caucus felt insulted by the former speaker’s efforts to falsely blame their party for a government shutdown that had only been averted when their party voted to help Mr McCarthy pass a funding resolution which the majority of his own caucus opposed.

Mr Gaetz told NBC’s Kristin Welker on Sunday that removing Mr McCarthty, in his mind, was “absolutely” worth being ousted from his seat through expulsion or a primary challenge. Both have been openly threatened by other members of his caucus, allies of Mr McCarthy, in the past week.

“They want to expel me from Congress? That’s crazy,” he told Ms Welker.

Republican lawmaker dismisses possibility Trump could be House speaker

15:30 , Martha McHardy

A Republican lawmaker has dismissed the possibility that Donald Trump could replace Kevin McCarthy as House speaker.

Rep Ken Buck, who voted last week to oust Mr McCarthy as speaker of the House of Representatives, insisted the former president doesn’t stand a chance of taking the gavel after far-right Republicans including Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz floated the idea he could be appointed to the role.

When asked on ABC’s “This Week” about some Republicans calling for Mr Trump to become the next speaker, Mr Buck said “that’s not going to happen”.

“It shouldn’t happen, and we have a lot of talent inside the House,” he said.

“We’ll settle this inside the House Republican conference, and we will elect someone who’ll have the unity and the backing of the full conference.”

How does the House vote in a new speaker?

15:00 , Ariana Baio

For the second time this year, the House of Representatives is preparing to hold a vote to elect a new speaker of the House after Kevin McCarthy was suddenly ousted from the post.

Beginning on Tuesday next week, members of each party will have closed-door discussions to determine potential nominations within their caucus before the House holds a formal vote on Wednesday.

All eyes will be on the chamber as the unprecedented election gets underway to replace Mr McCarthy – who has become the first speaker to be removed through a motion to vacate.

There’s no telling how long it will take for the House to elect a new speaker, given the last election required 15 rounds of voting before Mr McCarthy claimed the gavel.

Ahead of the vote, here’s everything to know about how the House votes to elect a speaker.

Who will replace ousted Kevin McCarthy as the new House speaker?

13:00 , Rachel Sharp

In what marked a historic day for Congress, Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his role as speaker of the House of Representatives on Tuesday – after less than nine months in the role.

The Florida congressman’s fate was sealed by his own warring party, as eight Republicans joined Democrats to vote to remove him from the speakership.

Mr McCarthy had grown increasingly at odds with the far-right wing of the party – notably lead rebel and MAGA Republican Matt Gaetz.

Mr Gaetz had filed a motion to vacate the speaker in outrage that Mr McCarthy struck a deal with Democrats to avert a government shutdown – one that could have temporarily shuttered key services for American people and furloughed federal workers.

After Democrats declined to bail out the speaker and members of his own party turned on him, Mr McCarthy was removed in a 216-210 vote to vacate on Tuesday night – marking the first time in American history that a speaker has been ousted by other lawmakers.

Now, the House has been left in turmoil – with no leader at a time when the US is once again careening towards a government shutdown.

So who will be his successor?

Here’s a look at some of the possible contenders

Hakeem Jeffries ‘closer to 218 than any other candidate,’ Dem senator notes

11:00 , Gustaf Kilander

The Daily Beast columnist Matt Lewis wrote on X on Friday: “After Dems helped push Kevin McCarthy out of his speakership, it would interesting if they/we end up with a Speaker Jim Jordan—a man endorsed by Matt Gaetz and Donald Trump. Congrats?”

“McCarthy worked across the aisle to keep the government open and raise the debt ceiling (thus avoiding a potential default). He also funded support for Ukraine. None of these things are likely, much less guaranteed, with a Speaker Jim Jordan. Those are the potential stakes,” he added.

Responding, Sen Chris Murphy (D-CT) wrote: “If that’s such a bad outcome for the country why doesn’t 4% of the Republican conference vote for Hakeem Jeffries? That’s the quickest way to solve the problem. He already has 212 votes!! He’s closer to 218 than any other candidate.”

Who is ‘McCongressman’ Kevin Hern, weighing run for House speaker?

09:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Rep Kevin Hern (R-OK), the chair of the rightwing group known as the Republican Study Committee and a probable candidate to succeed Kevin McCarthy as House speaker, would bring a new dimension to the race, having spent a successful career as a multi-faceted businessman.

In addition, the former owner of more than a dozen McDonald’s franchises and a range of other enterprises, the 61-year-old was first elected to Congress five years ago, meaning that his whole political career has played out in the Trump era of Republican politics.

While Mr Hern wrote on X on 6 October that “I still haven’t made a decision on my candidacy for speaker”, The Wall Street Journal reported days earlier that he told the Texas House delegation that he intends to join the race.

Meanwhile, he was nominated for speaker in January as one of the many protest candidates against the now-ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).

Mr Hern initially studied for a PhD in astronautical engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, but following the Challenger disaster in 1986, he left without finishing the degree. In 1999, he got an MBA from the University of Arkansas, Little Rock.

How does the House vote in a new speaker?

07:00 , Ariana Baio

For the second time this year, the House of Representatives is preparing to hold a vote to elect a new speaker of the House after Kevin McCarthy was suddenly ousted from the post.

Beginning on Tuesday next week, members of each party will have closed-door discussions to determine potential nominations within their caucus before the House holds a formal vote on Wednesday.

All eyes will be on the chamber as the unprecedented election gets underway to replace Mr McCarthy – who has become the first speaker to be removed through a motion to vacate.

There’s no telling how long it will take for the House to elect a new speaker, given the last election required 15 rounds of voting before Mr McCarthy claimed the gavel.

Ahead of the vote, here’s everything to know about how the House votes to elect a speaker.

Who is Steve Scalise? GOP leader seeks promotion in house speaker race

05:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Steve Scalise, a longtime member of House Republican leadership, is running for speaker following the dramatic ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Despite serving as House majority leader under Mr McCarthy, the Louisiana Republican has a strained relationship with the Californian. In 2018, Mr Scalise said he was interested in the speakership after the upcoming departure of then-Speaker Paul Ryan if Mr McCarthy couldn’t get the support he needed, with the relationship between the two men subsequently taking a turn for the worse.

The 58-year-old Mr Scalise served in the Louisiana state House and had a very brief tenure in the state Senate before he joined the US House in 2008, picking up Bobby Jindal’s seat when he became governor.

Grabbing the top post of the conservative group known as the Republican Study Committee before becoming majority whip in 2014, he served in that post for almost a decade before becoming majority leader earlier this year.

Mr Scalise and his top rival for the speakership, hardliner Jim Jordan, both voted to back objections to the Electoral College results that certified the victory of President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

Trump secretly plotted to become speaker in January

03:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump secretly plotted to become speaker in January when Kevin McCarthy was struggling to get the support he needed.

Jonathan Karl of ABC News writes about the episode in his new book Tired of Winning:

The prime-time drama surrounding the seemingly endless voting for House speaker in January caught the attention of the former president, who was soaking up every minute of coverage from his perch in MarâaâLago. The must-see television spectacle briefly revived an idea Trump had dismissed long ago: that he could become speaker of the House, the only congressional leadership post you can be elected to even if you are not a member of Congress.

“He saw the power of television,” a close Trump adviser told me. “[He saw] how galvanizing it was, how mesmerizing it was -- everybody was watching it, right? That’s when Trump realizes it’s the biggest reality show in America. He could sit up there like The Celebrity Apprentice. It’d be ‘The Apprentice’ with him with a big-ass gavel.”

Although the idea of Trump as speaker of the House had been kicking around for months, Trump had previously expressed no interest in it.

VOICES: Would a Speaker Jim Jordan doom the House GOP majority?

01:00 , Eric Garcia

Donald Trump was never going to be speaker of the House after Rep Matt Gaetz staged his coup against Kevin McCarthy. But the former president officially joined the fray in an early post on Truth Social throwing his support behind Ohio Rep Jim Jordan.

The right-wing firebrand has long been a favorite of conservatives, having been one of the leading voices among House Republicans after the Tea Party wave, working with Sen Ted Cruz to shut down the government in 2013 and leading the charge to depose John Boehner as speaker. His outsized influence meant Mr McCarthy chose to keep him close and Mr Jordan even tried to rally conservatives behind Mr McCarthy during the marathon 15 rounds of votes for speaker back in January.

Of course, to become speaker, that means he cannot just rely on right-wing Republicans who have looked to him for years, and he cannot simply rely on a majority of Republicans, but rather he would need to get an almost wholly unified conference to even have a shot.

That might prove to be his biggest roadblock: Should he become speaker, he would be the highest-ranking elected Republican in the country and every Republican would immediately be tied with him. That might give Republicans who are from swing districts pause and ultimately lead to them not choosing Mr Jordan, regardless of what Mr Trump says.

At this point, the fact the House GOP conference has a slim majority goes without explanation. But for the most part, the focus has stayed on the 15 to 20 conservatives who at any given moment could sink Mr McCarthy or Republican legislative priorities.

House Speaker candidates will no longer appear in TV interview

Sunday 8 October 2023 23:00 , Kelly Rissman

Fox News will no longer be airing a “joint interview” among House Republicans competing to be the next House speaker after two participants dropped out of the forum, according to reports.

Earlier on Friday, Fox News confirmed that the programme would be broadcast on Monday at 6pm ET and hosted by anchor Bret Baier. The House members who would be in attendance were Ohio Rep Jim Jordan, Louisiana Rep Steve Scalise, and Oklahoma Rep Kevin Hern. However, reports are circulating that some House speaker candidates will not be participating, leading to the forum being called off.

Mr Hern posted on X on Friday afternoon explaining his decision: “I still haven’t made a decision on my candidacy for speaker, but I know one thing for sure. I will not be participating in the televised debate. We need to make this decision as a conference, not on TV. The Republican conference needs a family discussion.”

Reporters for CNN and Punchbowl News similarly wrote that the forum had been cancelled, adding that Mr Scalise would also not be participating. When The Independent reached out to Fox News, a spokesperson said that Baier would discuss the forum on the network, but did not confirm the reports.

“Baier will press the congressmen on who should be the next Speaker of the House and discuss the issues facing Congress and the Republican party going forward,” the network’s release said earlier on Friday. The interview would have come before Republicans plan to have a private forum on Tuesday where candidates can talk to their colleagues before a vote the next day.

Kevin McCarthy says he’ll run for reelection after resignation rumours

Sunday 8 October 2023 21:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has said that he’ll run for re-election in his Bakersfield seat, going against previous reporting that he might leave the House before the end of his term.

“I’m still here finishing me job,” he said, according to Politico. “No, I’m not resigning. I’m staying, so don’t worry.”

This comes after the outlet reported that the former speaker who was ousted from the post earlier this week indicated that he would remain at least past next week’s election to pick his successor to help the party get through the ensuing chaos.

Kevin McCarthy says he’ll run for reelection after resignation rumours

Jim Jordan is a conservative hellraiser in the House. Now he’s Trump’s top choice for speaker

Sunday 8 October 2023 19:00 , Eric Garcia

Early Friday morning, former president Donald Trump threw his support behind Rep Jim Jordan in the race to become speaker of the House. The endorsement was not entirely surprising given Mr Jordan, an Ohio congressman, occupied the same lane in the House of Representatives that Mr Trump has as a presidential candidate and president – as an expression of conservatives who were dissatisfied with Republican leadership and a candidate who channeled their rage.

A product of the Tea Party wave and founder of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, Mr Jordan’s tenure in the House led to the ouster of former speaker John Boehner, which set the stage for Kevin McCarthy’s downfall earlier this week, despite his steadfast support for the speaker.

In addition, as previous chairman of the House Oversight Committee and now the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, he has defended Mr Trump vociferously. Fast-talking, pugnacious and prone to inflammatory rhetoric that veers into outright falsehoods, Mr Jordan often can be seen roaming the halls of the House not wearing a suit jacket.

But he also played a significant role in Mr Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and spreading misinformation since then. He’s faced further scrutiny about whether he refused to report the sexual abuse of wrestlers he coached while at the Ohio State University.

He now faces tough competition against House Majority Leader Steve Scalise as Republicans seek to replace Mr McCarthy as the House GOP seeks to unify. But with a thin legislative record and a much larger trail of antagonising his colleagues, Mr Jordan could face significant challenges.

Matt Gaetz denounced GOP Biden impeachment effort in online fundraiser, report says

Sunday 8 October 2023 17:00 , Martha McHardy

Matt Gaetz denounced efforts by the GOP to impeach Joe Biden during an online fundraiser, according to a report.

At an invitation-only fundraiser held over Zoom last week, Mr Gaetz and fellow Freedom Caucus member Matt Rosendale denounced efforts to impeach the President as a political stunt.

“I don’t believe that we are endeavoring upon a legitimate impeachment of Joe Biden,” Mr Gaetz told former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, who was moderating the discussion.

“They’re trying to engage in a, like, ‘forever war’ of impeachment,” Mr Gaetz could be heard saying in a video obtained by NBC News. “And like many of our forever wars, it will drag on forever and end in a bloody draw.”

The fundraiser took place just days before Mr Gaetz led efforts to oust House speaker Kevin McCarthy in a historical first.

Senator tells House colleagues to ‘follow your heart, but take your brain with you’ and ‘be sure to take your meds’

Sunday 8 October 2023 15:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Sen John Kennedy, part of the Louisiana delegation alongside Steve Scalise, urged his House colleagues to be politically realistic amid the battle for the speakership.

“I don’t have a lot of advice for my House colleagues, other than this: Follow your heart, but take your brain with you. The American people expect us to govern,” he said, according to NBC News. “I’d also advise all of my House colleagues to be sure to take your meds.”

Donald Trump on January scheme to become speaker after being mocked on CNN and MSNBC: ‘Get me out of there!'

Sunday 8 October 2023 13:00 , Gustaf.Kilander

In an excerpt from his new book Tired of Winning, Jonathan Karl of ABC News writes about the January plot of former President Donald Trump to become speaker as Kevin McCarthy struggled to get the support he needed within the GOP:

Gaetz had a speech to give. “My friends, when Donald Trump was president, taxes were cut, regulations were slashed, energy was abundant, wages were rising, capital was returning from overseas to fund the dreams and ambitions of our fellow Americans, and the economy was roaring,” Gaetz began. As he spoke, the murmuring and heckling -- mostly from Democrats -- grew so loud the clerk had to bring down her gavel and demand the House be in order.

But Gaetz kept going: “I nominate President Trump because we must make our country great again. And he can start by making the House of Representatives great again.”

When Gaetz finished his speech, Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado was the only person in the entire chamber to applaud. The result was exactly the same. Donald Trump received just one vote -- from Matt Gaetz -- for speaker of the House. And once again, the cable networks rubbed it in, plastering a measly “1” next to Trump’s name as commentators mocked the former president’s pathetic vote total.

That was the final straw. “Once CNN and MSNBC started mocking him, that he had the lowest vote count in history,” a Trump confidant -- who was in touch with the former president throughout the process -- told me, “all of a sudden, he was like, ‘Get me out of there!’”

Boebert endorses changing rules on ousting speaker if moderates back hardliner Jim Jordan

Sunday 8 October 2023 11:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Rep Lauren Boebert endorsed changing the rules on how to oust a speaker if GOP moderates agree to rightwing hardliner Jim Jordan.

“With a Speaker Jim Jordan, I don’t know how necessary it is to have a single-member motion to vacate,” she told Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast on Real America’s Voice.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) indicates she’s open to ending the rule allowing one House member to introduce a motion to oust the Speaker, if moderates vote for Rep. Jim Jordan:

“With a Speaker Jim Jordan, I don't know how necessary it is to have a single-member motion to vacate.” pic.twitter.com/Zi6JiqZ95J
— The Recount (@therecount) October 6, 2023

Fox News debate reportedly cancelled after members raged at race becoming public

Sunday 8 October 2023 09:00 , Gustaf Kilander

A Fox News debate set for Monday was reportedly cancelled after members grew irate that the race became a public campaign.

Several sources told NBC that the forum, that was supposed to feature Reps Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, and Kevin Hern, had been cancelled.

“A lot of members pissed that this could play out so publicly when they want to solve this behind closed doors,” one source told the network.

Trump for speaker is a virtue signal to the pro-Trump base

Sunday 8 October 2023 07:00 , Eric Garcia

While some hardline conservatives have floated the idea of making Mr Trump the speaker, that serves more of a virtue signal to the pro-Trump base of voters and the former president would likely not make it after the first ballot. Ironically, conservatives used to vote for Mr Jordan for speaker on the floor in previous Congresses for the same reason: to burnish their right-wing credentials despite the fact Mr Jordan was never a serious prospect.

Liberals, of course, despise Mr Jordan for his spouting of election lies, promoting conspiracy theories and overall right-wing extremism. But should he seek to occupy the speaker’s office, the former college wrestling champion will need to show he has more skills in hisarsenal than simply going on the offence.

At this point, Mr Jordan has earned the support of members like Rep Byron Donalds (R-FL), Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Rep Lauren Boebert (R-CO), members who opposed Mr McCarthy and now occupy the role of hellraiser in the House that Mr Jordan once occupied.

Indeed, Ms Boebert posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that she would support getting rid of the motion to vacate with Mr Jordan as speaker (incidentally, despite the fact she and Mr Gaetz never supported Mr McCarthy, she did not join his coup earlier this week, likely a sign that she would need House GOP leadership money to survive in her district).

Can ‘legislative terrorist’ Jim Jordan lead the House?

Sunday 8 October 2023 05:00 , Eric Garcia

The first day of the 118th Congress was bizarre for many reasons, most notably the fact that it was the beginning of a week-long process to select a new speaker of the House. But people who have followed the House for a long time needed to do a double take when Rep Jim Jordan (R-OH) nominated Kevin McCarthy to become House speaker.

That was because for much of the past 15 years, before he emerged as Mr Trump’s chief apologist in the House and now a leading candidate to replace Mr McCarthy, the Ohio congressman had antagonised Republican leadership at every turn for being insufficiently conservative.

A co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus, he played a key role in ousting Speaker John Boehner when his friend Mark Meadows filed a motion to vacate the chair. It’s why Mr Boehner, now free to puff his cigarettes and sip his Merlot in peace, famously called Mr Jordan, his fellow Ohioan, a “legislative terrorist” and dubbed Mr Jordan and Mr Chaffetz “a*******.”

But during his speech, Mr Jordan said the differences between someone like himself and less conservative Republicans were minuscule and that they needed to get behind Mr McCarthy. In response, Rep Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who had nominated Mr Jordan to serve as speaker, said “Jim Jordan is humble, perhaps today, humble to a fault” and that “Maybe the right person for the job of speaker of the House isn’t someone who wants it so bad.”

Now, of course, Mr Jordan is a top candidate for speaker of the House. Friend of Inside Washington Kadia Goba at Semafor reported Wednesday evening that Mr McCarthy’s allies have rewarded Mr Jordan’s loyalty by making calls on behalf of the one-time bomb-thrower.

Trump endorses MAGA Republican Jim Jordan for House speaker

Sunday 8 October 2023 03:00 , Stuti Mishra, Rachel Sharp

Former president Donald Trump has officially backed Ohio representative Jim Jordan to succeed Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House, after hinting that he might accept the role for himself “if necessary”.

Mr Trump announced his support for the House judiciary committee chairman and his ally on Truth Social on Friday at midnight, stating that Mr Jordan had his “complete and total endorsement”.

“Congressman Jim Jordan has been a STAR long before making his very successful journey to Washington, DC, representing Ohio’s 4th Congressional District,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social site.

“He will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete & Total Endorsement!”

Before Mr Trump’s announcement, Texas representative Troy Nehls had already said on Thursday night that the former president had decided to back Mr Jordan‘s bid.

VOICES: Would a Speaker Jim Jordan doom the House GOP majority?

Sunday 8 October 2023 01:00 , Eric Garcia

The candidates: Hakeem Jeffries

Saturday 7 October 2023 23:00 , Rachel Sharp

As the House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries is the top Democrat in the House.

Back in February, Mr Jeffries gained more votes during 11 rounds of voting in the speaker’s election than Mr McCarthy.

But, as Democrats hold the minority in the lower chamber, he would need Republican support to take the helm.

While this may seem unlikely, it’s possible that – if Republican infighting continues, the majority party can’t agree on a candidate and a government shutdown looms – some moderate Republicans might find Mr Jeffries a more suitable choice.

The candidates: Donald Trump

Saturday 7 October 2023 21:00 , Rachel Sharp

A growing number of far-right Republican lawmakers including Marjorie Taylor Greene are now calling for Donald Trump to become the next House speaker.

MAGA Republican Ms Greene took to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday night to claim that the former president is the “only candidate” she will back to take the gavel.

“The only candidate for Speaker I am currently supporting is President Donald J. Trump. He will end the war in Ukraine. He will secure the border,” she said.

“He will end the politically weaponized government. He will make America energy independent again. He will pass my bill to stop transgender surgeries on kids and keep men out of women’s sports. He will support our military and police. And so much more! He has a proven 4 year record as President of the United States of America. He received a record number of Republican votes of any Republican Presidential candidate! We can make him Speaker and then elect him President! He will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”

She was joined by a handful of other Republican representatives – including Texas lawmaker Troy Nehls and Florida Rep Greg Steube – who also said they were throwing their support behind the former president.

Mr Trump could be elected as the next speaker as, under the rules of Congress, the speaker does not have to be a current sitting member in the House. That said, every speaker in the history of the US so far has been.

Back in January, when Mr McCarthy was struggling to get enough votes from his own party to secure his speakership, Mr Gaetz touted the former president as a possible candidate and cast his vote for Mr Trump.

This week, Mr Trump has revelled in the calls for him to take the gavel, sharing the endorsements on his Truth Social platform.

He then told Fox News on Thursday that he would become speaker temporarily to act as a “unifier” to the GOP party.

“I have been asked to speak as a unifier because I have so many friends in Congress,” he said.

“If they don’t get the vote, they have asked me if I would consider taking the Speakership until they get somebody longer-term because I am running for president.

“They have asked me if I would take it for a short period of time for the party until they come to a conclusion – I’m not doing it because I want to – I will do it if necessary, should they not be able to make their decision,” the former president told the outlet.

He also suggested that he could travel to the US Capitol to help in the process – a visit that would mark his first time back there since the January 6 riot.

But hours later, he seemed to walk back the idea – saying that he has giving his full endorsement to MAGA Republican Mr Jordan.

The candidates: Kevin McCarthy

Saturday 7 October 2023 19:00 , Rachel Sharp

While he has been ousted, there is nothing stopping Mr McCarthy from making another bid for his old job.

However, this seems unlikely based on his comments immediately after he was voted out of the speakership.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday night, Mr McCarthy said that he will not run for his old job again – and cast doubts on his future within the House of Representatives at all.

“I will not run for speaker again. I’ll have the [Republican] conference pick somebody else,” he said, adding that Mr Gaetz’s plot to oust him “was personal”.

The candidates: Patrick McHenry

Saturday 7 October 2023 17:00 , Rachel Sharp

Following Mr McCarthy’s removal, North Carolina Rep Patrick McHenry instantly became speaker pro tempore.

This means that he is now the temporary leader of the House until the party nominates and successfully elects Mr McCarthy’s replacement.

As a close ally of Mr McCarthy, he has often served as a liaison between conservatives and leadership.

He also has a strong enough relationship with Democrats both on the committee he leads and with the White House, recently playing a key role in negotiations with the Biden administration on raising the debt ceiling.

He is also one of only a handful of House Republicans who did not vote to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

While this might make him a possible favourite to Democrats and some moderate Republicans, this bipartisanship could make him an unlikely choice for hardline Republicans.

However, as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Mr McHenry does also have significant contacts with the financial industry and top donors.

The candidates Tom Emmer

Saturday 7 October 2023 15:00 , Rachel Sharp

Mr Gaetz also touted some other names he might back for speaker on Tuesday night – one of them being Tom Emmer.

“I could see myself supporting [House majority whip] Tom Emmer. I could see myself supporting Mike Johnson of Louisiana. I could see myself supporting Jodey Arrington of Texas. I could see myself supporting Kevin Hern of Oklahoma,” he said.

Mr Emmer, a Minnesota congressman since 2014, became the House majority whip earlier in the year.

Mr Emmer served as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee for two cycles. In the first cycle, he successfully defeated numerous Democratic incumbents, giving then-House speaker Nancy Pelosi a much slimmer majority with which to govern.

He stayed in the job for the 2022 cycle when Republicans won the House, meaning he knows many of the freshmen incumbents and funneled money to them when needed. His time in the post also gave him significant facetime with Republican donors – a skill that would benefit him in a speaker’s race.

Despite his name instantly cropping up, Mr Emmer has said that he doesn’t plan to run – but will instead back Mr Scalise.

“Steve Scalise has been a friend for a long time. He would be a great speaker,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

On Thursday, CBS News reported that Mr Emmer is planning a run to become the next House majority leader under Mr Scalise as speaker.

The candidates: Kevin Hern

Saturday 7 October 2023 13:00 , Rachel Sharp

Also confirmed to be in the running to take the gavel is Kevin Hern, the leader of the Republican Study Committee – the largest conservative caucus in the House.

Mr Hern is only in his third term in Congress making him a much less experienced politician than his competitors.

However he has touted this short tenure in politics but long, successful career in the business world as an advantage over the rest.

“I think you have to have a different set of skill sets,” Mr Hern told reporters this week.

“Strife is something that’s common when you have people working together and finding common solutions for it takes experience.”

Before being elected to Congress in 2018, the 61-year-old made millions as a McDonald’s franchisee and was part of its national leadership team

During the last race for House speaker in January, he gained some votes from Republicans rebelling against Mr McCarthy.

The candidates: Jim Jordan

Saturday 7 October 2023 11:00 , Rachel Sharp

Jim Jordan confirmed on Wednesday morning that he is running for the role of speaker of the House.

When asked by reporters if he is entering the race, the Donald Trump ally and man who has spent over 500 days ignoring a subpoena to testify about his actions on the day of the January 6 Capitol riot responded with a firm “YES”.

As one of the staunchest members of the far-right, MAGA arm of the Republican party, Mr Jordan is known for founding the right-wing Freedom Caucus in 2015.

He continues to serve as chairman of what has become known as the most right-wing caucus in the GOP party, with a record that includes trying to dismantle the Affordable Care Act multiple times.

Following Mr Trump’s loss in the 2020 presidential election, Mr Jordan played a key role in efforts to overturn the results – and for the former president to stay in power against the will of the American people.

He is known to have taken part in meetings with the former president where they made plans to fight the election results including one meeting at Trump campaign headquarters in November 2020 and another at the White House that December.

He has also admitted that he and Mr Trump spoke on the day of the January 6 Capitol riot – but refuses to reveal the nature of the calls.

Even faced with a subpoena, he refused to cooperate with the House select committee investigating the Capitol insurrection and so many questions remain unanswered to this day about his actions on and around that day.

Despite his controversies, he has risen up the GOP ranks in recent years with Mr McCarthy making him chair of the powerful Judiciary Committee back in February.

While he has a history of vehemently opposing bipartisanship, Mr Jordan also appears unlikely to be able to secure enough votes from within his own party to win the speakership.

One prominent example of his standing in Republican circles comes from an iconic quote from former House Speaker John Boehner, who labelled Mr Jordan a “legislative terrorist”.

On Friday morning, Donald Trump announced he was endorsing Mr Jordan as the next speaker.

“Congressman Jim Jordan has been a STAR long before making his very successful journey to Washington, DC, representing Ohio’s 4th Congressional District,” he wrote on Truth Social site.

“He will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete & Total Endorsement!”

The candidates: Steve Scalise

Saturday 7 October 2023 09:00 , Rachel Sharp

A man emerging as a possible frontrunner is Steve Scalise, who currently serves as House majority leader – the number two among House Republicans.

The Louisiana congressman was tipped as a possible challenger to Mr McCarthy back in January, but he refused to compete against him at the time.

Now that Mr McCarthy is out, Mr Scalise has announced that he’s running.

In a letter to colleagues on Wednesday 4 October, he referenced being shot at a 2017 congressional baseball practice, writing, “I firmly believe this Conference is a family. When I was shot in 2017, it was Members of this Conference who saved my life on that field. When I made it to the hospital and my family was told my chances of surviving were low, it was the prayers from all of you that carried us through”.

“You know my leadership style I’ve displayed as your Majority Leader and Whip. I have a proven track record of bringing together the diverse array of viewpoints within our Conference to build consensus where others thought it impossible,” he added.

Before he announced, Mr Scalise said on Tuesday night that “clearly within our conference, we have a very tight majority. Getting things done is going to be difficult in the tight majority. It still will be so no matter who’s going to be the next speaker, the challenges still remain, but I think the opportunity is there to continue moving forward”.

When asked if he is physically up to the job – after several health issues including battles with blood cancer and injuries from the baseball practice shooting in Virginia – he insisted: “I feel great.”

Mr Gaetz – whose rebellion has led the House into its current turmoil – also floated Mr Scalise as the next speaker on Tuesday night.

“I think the world of Steve Scalise, I think he’d make a phenomenal speaker,” he said. “He’d be the type of person that I could see myself supporting. There are many people, though.”

Mr Scalise is not without his controversies, having come under fire after it emerged he gave a speech to a white supremacist group founded by former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke in 2002.

Who will replace ousted Kevin McCarthy as the new House speaker?

Saturday 7 October 2023 07:00 , Rachel Sharp

In what marked a historic day for Congress, Kevin McCarthy was ousted from his role as speaker of the House of Representatives on Tuesday – after less than nine months in the role.

The Florida congressman’s fate was sealed by his own warring party, as eight Republicans joined Democrats to vote to remove him from the speakership.

Mr McCarthy had grown increasingly at odds with the far-right wing of the party – notably lead rebel and MAGA Republican Matt Gaetz.

Now, the House has been left in turmoil – with no leader at a time when the US is once again careening towards a government shutdown.

So who will be his successor?

Here’s a look at some of the possible contenders

Hakeem Jeffries ‘closer to 218 than any other candidate,’ Dem senator notes

Saturday 7 October 2023 05:00 , Gustaf Kilander

VIDEO: Kevin McCarthy says he’ll run for reelection after resignation rumours

Saturday 7 October 2023 03:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has said that he’ll run for re-election in his Bakersfield seat, going against previous reporting that he might leave the House before the end of his term.

“I’m still here finishing me job,” he said. “No, I’m not resigning. I’m staying, so don’t worry.”

“I'm staying, so don't worry...We're gonna keep the majority. I'm gonna help the people I got here and we're gonna expand it.”

— Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) denies reports he's considering resigning from the House after his ouster as Speaker & says he plans to run for reelection pic.twitter.com/qhJQWm01K8
— The Recount (@therecount) October 6, 2023

Who is ‘McCongressman’ Kevin Hern, weighing run for House speaker?

Saturday 7 October 2023 02:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Meanwhile, he was nominated for speaker in January as one of the many protest candidates against the now-ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).

How does the House vote in a new speaker?

Saturday 7 October 2023 01:00 , Ariana Baio

For the second time this year, the House of Representatives is preparing to hold a vote to elect a new speaker of the House after Kevin McCarthy was suddenly ousted from the post.

Beginning on Tuesday next week, members of each party will have closed-door discussions to determine potential nominations within their caucus before the House holds a formal vote on Wednesday.

All eyes will be on the chamber as the unprecedented election gets underway to replace Mr McCarthy – who has become the first speaker to be removed through a motion to vacate.

There’s no telling how long it will take for the House to elect a new speaker, given the last election required 15 rounds of voting before Mr McCarthy claimed the gavel.

Ahead of the vote, here’s everything to know about how the House votes to elect a speaker.

Who is Steve Scalise? GOP leader seeks promotion in house speaker race

Saturday 7 October 2023 00:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Steve Scalise, a longtime member of House Republican leadership, is running for speaker following the dramatic ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

House Republicans call for ‘special meeting’ to change speaker election rules

Friday 6 October 2023 23:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Several members of the House Republican caucus are calling for a “special organizational meeting” to consider an amendment to the rules of their conference to raise the number of votes needed to choose a speaker.

NEW: members including Reps. Chip Roy and Brian Fitzpatrick are calling for a special organizational meeting to amend the House rules. pic.twitter.com/OYzuD3yFVZ
— Juliegrace Brufke (@juliegraceb) October 6, 2023

Trump secretly plotted to become speaker in January

Friday 6 October 2023 22:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Donald Trump secretly plotted to become speaker in January when Kevin McCarthy was struggling to get the support he needed.

Jonathan Karl of ABC News writes about the episode in his new book Tired of Winning:

Although the idea of Trump as speaker of the House had been kicking around for months, Trump had previously expressed no interest in it.

VOICES: Would a Speaker Jim Jordan doom the House GOP majority?

Friday 6 October 2023 22:37 , Eric Garcia

House Speaker candidates will no longer appear in TV interview

Friday 6 October 2023 22:00 , Kelly Rissman

Fox News will no longer be airing a “joint interview” among House Republicans competing to be the next House speaker after two participants dropped out of the forum, according to reports.

Kevin McCarthy says he’ll run for reelection after resignation rumours

Friday 6 October 2023 21:46 , Gustaf Kilander

Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has said that he’ll run for re-election in his Bakersfield seat, going against previous reporting that he might leave the House before the end of his term.

“I’m still here finishing me job,” he said, according to Politico. “No, I’m not resigning. I’m staying, so don’t worry.”

Kevin McCarthy says he’ll run for reelection after resignation rumours

Jim Jordan is a conservative hellraiser in the House. Now he’s Trump’s top choice for speaker

Friday 6 October 2023 21:30 , Eric Garcia

Kevin McCarthy considering resigning from the House, report says

Friday 6 October 2023 20:58 , Gustaf Kilander

Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) might leave the House before the end of his term, Politico reports.

The former speaker who was ousted from the post earlier this week has indicated that he’ll remain at least past next week’s election to pick his successor to help the party get through the ensuing chaos.

He reportedly suggested to his conference of House Republicans after eight members of his party voted with the Democrats to remove him that he wanted to go back to California.

Republicans told Politico that Mr McCarthy’s speech was drowned out by the shouting of other lawmakers, but that he could be heard saying, “I’m going to spend time with my family”.

“I might have been given a bad break, but I’m still the luckiest man alive,” he said.

Matt Gaetz denounced GOP Biden impeachment effort in online fundraiser, report says

Friday 6 October 2023 20:30 , Martha McHardy

Matt Gaetz denounced efforts by the GOP to impeach Joe Biden during an online fundraiser, according to a report.

At an invitation-only fundraiser held over Zoom last week, Mr Gaetz and fellow Freedom Caucus member Matt Rosendale denounced efforts to impeach the President as a political stunt.

“I don’t believe that we are endeavoring upon a legitimate impeachment of Joe Biden,” Mr Gaetz told former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, who was moderating the discussion.

The fundraiser took place just days before Mr Gaetz led efforts to oust House speaker Kevin McCarthy in a historical first.

Senator tells House colleagues to ‘follow your heart, but take your brain with you’ and ‘be sure to take your meds’

Friday 6 October 2023 20:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Sen John Kennedy, part of the Louisiana delegation alongside Steve Scalise, urged his House colleagues to be politically realistic amid the battle for the speakership.

Donald Trump on January scheme to become speaker after being mocked on CNN and MSNBC: ‘Get me out of there!'

Friday 6 October 2023 19:30 , Gustaf Kilander

But Gaetz kept going: “I nominate President Trump because we must make our country great again. And he can start by making the House of Representatives great again.”

Boebert endorses changing rules on ousting speaker if moderates back hardliner Jim Jordan

Friday 6 October 2023 19:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Rep Lauren Boebert endorsed changing the rules on how to oust a speaker if GOP moderates agree to rightwing hardliner Jim Jordan.

“With a Speaker Jim Jordan, I don’t know how necessary it is to have a single-member motion to vacate,” she told Steve Bannon’s War Room podcast on Real America’s Voice.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) indicates she’s open to ending the rule allowing one House member to introduce a motion to oust the Speaker, if moderates vote for Rep. Jim Jordan:

“With a Speaker Jim Jordan, I don't know how necessary it is to have a single-member motion to vacate.” pic.twitter.com/Zi6JiqZ95J
— The Recount (@therecount) October 6, 2023

Fox News debate reportedly cancelled after members raged at race becoming public

Friday 6 October 2023 18:30 , Gustaf Kilander

A Fox News debate set for Monday was reportedly cancelled after members grew irate that the race became a public campaign.

Several sources told NBC that the forum, that was supposed to feature Reps Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, and Kevin Hern, had been cancelled.

“A lot of members pissed that this could play out so publicly when they want to solve this behind closed doors,” one source told the network.

Trump for speaker is a virtue signal to the pro-Trump base

Friday 6 October 2023 18:00 , Eric Garcia

Can ‘legislative terrorist’ Jim Jordan lead the House?

Friday 6 October 2023 17:30 , Eric Garcia

Donald Trump

Friday 6 October 2023 17:00 , Rachel Sharp