Who could succeed Republican Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the US House?
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Representative Kevin McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday he would not make another run for Speaker.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON – A small group of rebellious Republicans in the US House of Representatives succeeded in ousting their leader, Speaker Kevin McCarthy, on Tuesday in a historic first.
It was unclear who would succeed Mr McCarthy, but these are a few possibilities.
Steve Scalise
Mr Steve Scalise is the No. 2 House Republican.
PHOTO: AFP
Representative Matt Gaetz, the lawmaker who spearheaded the push to oust McCarthy, has said he would support Mr Steve Scalise taking over the role.
Mr Scalise is the No. 2 House Republican and has long been favoured to take over the head of the Republican Party in the chamber after the end of Mr McCarthy’s tenure.
Tom Emmer
Representative Tom Emmer is the House Republican whip.
PHOTO: AFP
Representative Tom Emmer is the House Republican whip and headed the House Republicans’ campaign arm during the 2022 midterm elections, when Republicans recaptured the House majority from President Joe Biden’s Democrats.
Jim Jordan
Representative Jim Jordan was nominated by some Republican rebels to be the Speaker during the election to the seat in January.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
Representative Jim Jordan, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee and an ally of former president Donald Trump, was nominated by some Republican rebels to be the Speaker during the election to the seat in January. He received 20 votes during one round of voting.
Byron Donalds
Hardline Representative Byron Donalds garnered 20 votes during one of the rounds of voting for the Speaker’s race in January.
PHOTO: AFP
Hardline Representative Byron Donalds, considered a rising star in the Republican Party, garnered 20 votes during one of the rounds of voting for the Speaker’s race in January.
Patrick McHenry
Representative Patrick McHenry is an ally of Mr McCarthy and spoke in support of him prior to the vote.
PHOTO: AFP
Representative Patrick McHenry was named to step in as Speaker pro tempore following Mr McCarthy’s ouster.
Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, Mr McHenry is a McCarthy ally who spoke in support of Mr McCarthy prior to the vote.
Donald Trump
Some Republican allies of former president Donald Trump have suggested he could serve in the role.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Historically, the House has always elected one of its own as Speaker, but the US Constitution does not say that the job has to go to an elected member of the House.
Some Republican allies of Trump have suggested he could serve in the role, though the front runner for the 2024 Republican nomination to challenge Mr Biden has previously said he is not interested.
Mr Gaetz voted for Trump to be the Speaker during multiple rounds of the January vote, and noted to reporters on Monday that the Speaker does not need to be a member of Congress.
Representative Andy Ogles polled his followers on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday to ask who should be the Speaker, and included Trump as one of the options.
Hakeem Jeffries
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries garnered more votes than Mr McCarthy during 11 rounds of voting in the Speaker’s election.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is the Democratic leader and garnered more votes than Mr McCarthy during 11 rounds of voting in the Speaker’s election.
Kevin McCarthy
Representative McCarthy told reporters on Tuesday that he would not make another run for Speaker. REUTERS
