House speaker vote live updates: Speaker race down to 8 after Rep. Meuser drops out
After three weeks without a speaker, House Republicans are again trying to fill the top spot after rejecting Rep. Jim Jordan last week.
Eight Republicans are officially running for speaker after the historic removal of Kevin McCarthy earlier this month.
On Monday night, House GOP lawmakers will hear from each candidate in a closed-door forum ahead of another secret ballot vote on Tuesday.
Speaker race down to 8 after Rep. Meuser drops out
Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Dan Meuser told reporters outside the candidate forum Monday night that he is dropping out of the speaker’s race.
“I came in late and have other commitments I want to adhere to,” Meuser said.
Meuser said he’s helping former President Trump’s 2024 campaign in Pennsylvania.
There are now eight candidates running for House speaker.
Meuser said he hasn’t decided who he will endorse in the speaker’s race.
“If it keeps up any longer, I think it will,” Meuser said when asked if the inability to elect a speaker will cost the Republicans the House majority.
-ABC News’ Lauren Peller, Rachel Scott and Ben Siegel
How speaker candidates have voted on issues such as 2020 election, Ukraine aid, same-sex marriage
There are nine candidates for speaker. Here’s how they have voted in the past on key issues.
OBJECTED TO CERTIFYING 2020 ELECTION
Jack Bergman (MI)
Byron Donalds (FL)
Kevin Hern (OK)
Mike Johnson (LA)
Dan Meuser (PA)
Gary Palmer (AL)
Pete Sessions (TX)
CERTIFIED THE 2020 ELECTION
Tom Emmer (MN)
Austin Scott (GA)
-Both members signed onto the Texas lawsuit seeking to throw out votes in key swing states
HAVE REPEATEDLY VOTED AGAINST UKRAINE AID
Byron Donalds (FL)
Mike Johnson (LA)
Kevin Hern (OK)
Pete Sessions (TX)
-But most of the candidates have reservations about additional funding to Ukraine.
SUPPORTED PROTECTIONS FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Tom Emmer (MN)
OPPOSED PROTECTIONS FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Jack Bergman (MI)
Byron Donalds (FL)
Kevin Hern (OK)
Mike Johnson (LA)
Dan Meuser (PA)
Gary Palmer (AL)
Pete Sessions (TX)
Austin Scott (GA)
SUPPORTED RECENT GOVERNMENT FUNDING SHORT-TERM BILL
Tom Emmer (MN)
Jack Bergman (MI)
Dan Meuser (PA)
Austin Scott (GA)
Pete Sessions (TX)
OPPOSED RECENT GOVERNMENT FUNDING SHORT-TERM BILL
Kevin Hern (OK)
Mike Johnson (LA)
Byron Donalds (FL) missed the vote
HAVE EXPLICITLY ENDORSED TRUMP’S 2024 BID
Byron Donalds (FL)
Gary Palmer (AL)
Pete Sessions (TX)
Jack Bergman (MI)
Dan Meuser (PA)
-Others are supportive of Trump’s bid
-ABC’s Rachel Scott, Jay O’Brien, Benjamin Siegel
Who are the 9 Republicans now trying to be House speaker?
Nine Republicans are officially running for speaker after almost three weeks of chaos without a leader in the House. Now the candidates for speaker include: Reps. Jack Bergman of Michigan, Byron Donalds of Florida, Tom Emmer of Minnesota, Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania, Gary Palmer of Alabama, Austin Scott of Georgia and Pete Sessions of Texas.
House Republicans will hear from each candidate in a closed-door forum on Monday night.
Read more about each candidate here.
Trump has spoken with several speaker candidates — including Emmer
Former President Donald Trump has spoken to several of the candidates for speaker of the House including Reps. Tom Emmer, Kevin Hern, Pete Sessions and Byron Donalds, multiple sources tell ABC News.
While Trump insisted, he has “always” gotten along with Emmer, sources say the former president has privately told allies he does not support him. Trump has not endorsed Emmer for the top job in the House.
Emmer is one of two Republicans running for speaker who voted to certify the 2020 election results. Trump allies — including Steve Bannon — have called on Republicans to “take out Emmer.”
So does Trump’s endorsement have any weight behind it?
He supported Kevin McCarthy — McCarthy was ousted. He supported Jim Jordan — Jordan couldn’t get enough support.
That’s not a great track record so far. But in a bitterly divided conference, it doesn’t help to have prominent right-wing figures attacking you with the former president’s blessing either.
-ABC’s Rachel Scott, Jay O’Brien, Benjamin Siegel
Oct 21, 11:45 AM
Majority Whip Tom Emmer officially enters the race
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer has officially announced his bid for Speaker.
“I’m running for Speaker of the House to bring our conference together and get back to work,” Emmer said on X.
Emmer (the No. 3 Republican) sent a Dear Colleague letter saying that the GOP conference remains at a “crossroads” and the “deck is stacked against us.”
“Having had the privilege of getting to know all of you as your NRCC chair and as your majority whip, I know we are still ready for that fight,” Emmer said about keeping the House majority.
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy has already endorsed Emmer for the top job.
Emmer may appear to be the front-runner, but he has opposition from Trump world and the far-right, who say he has opposed their candidates in previous elections.
-ABC’s Lauren Peller and Jay O’Brien
Oct 20, 5:04 PM
Crowded field emerges for speaker nomination
Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern, whose name was previously floated for the job, told ABC News he will run for speaker at the candidate forum. Hern has served since 2018 and is the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the largest conservative group in the House.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., when leaving the conference meeting told reporters it was “too soon” to say whether he would put his name forward. But three House Republicans have told ABC News that Emmer is making calls soliciting support for a bid.
Several other Republicans have thrown their hats into the ring: Florida’s Byron Donalds, one of four Black House Republicans; Texas’ Pete Sessions, the longest-tenured lawmaker to enter the race so far; Michigan’s Jack Bergman, is a retired lieutenant general who served decades in the Marine Corps; Louisiana’s Mike Johnson, the House Republican vice conference chair; and Georgia’s Austin Scott, who sits seats on the Agriculture, Armed Services and the Intelligence committees.
-ABC’s John Parkinson
Oct 20, 4:47 PM
What happens next?
Republicans are back to square one when it comes to finding a new speaker.
The House will have no further votes Friday or this weekend. Republicans plan to hold a candidate forum on Monday at 6:30 p.m. and a secret ballot vote on Tuesday morning with the hopes of bringing a candidate to the House floor on Tuesday afternoon.
“The reason why I made that decision is we need space and time for candidates to talk to other members,” said Rep. Patrick McHenry, the temporary speaker. “It’s fair to say that Leader Scalise wasn’t given adequate time to campaign — he was given 24 hours to campaign. I don’t think that was right for him. Our nominee Jordan was given a little more time. Not right for him,.”
-ABC’s Lauren Peller
Oct 20, 3:06 PM
Jordan speaks after being booted as nominee
Jim Jordan, in brief remarks, said it’s time for House Republicans to find consensus and that whoever becomes their next speaker pick will have his support.
“We need to come together and figure out who our speaker is going to be,” Jordan said. “I’m going to work as hard as I can to help that individual so that we can go help the American people.”
Jordan looked forward to returning to his role as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, telling reporters he has several depositions lined up next week.
“It’s important we do unite. Let’s figure out who that individual is, get behind him and get to work for the American people,” Jordan concluded.
Oct 20, 2:40 PM
McCarthy: Republicans going ‘back to the drawing board’
“Unfortunately, Jim is no longer going to be the nominee,” former Speaker Kevin McCarthy said as he was leaving the conference. “We will have to go back to the drawing board.”
McCarthy blamed the “Crazy Eights” who led his ouster for the chaos they’ve wreaked on the Republican Party and the country.
“I’ve never seen this amount of damage done … it’s astonishing to me,” he said.
“We are in a very bad position as a party, one that has won the majority, one that America has entrusted us with,” McCarthy continued. “Eight people have put us in this place.”
McCarthy didn’t endorse a new nominee or say whether he would re-enter the race.
-ABC’s John Parkinson
Oct 20, 2:17 PM
GOP drops Jordan in secret ballot vote
Jordan lost a secret ballot vote to remain the Republican nominee for speaker.
The conference voted to drop him during a closed-door meeting after he lost a third ballot on the House floor.
The secret ballot vote was 86-112.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, leaving the meeting, said they will be “starting over” on Monday.
-ABC’s Rachel Scott, John Parkinson, Lauren Peller, Ben Siegel, Jay O’Brien and Mariam Khan
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Source: MSN
