Republicans in Disarray: Who Will Secure the Majority of Votes and Become the Next Speaker of the House?

In the three weeks since Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted as speaker of the House in a historic vote, the chamber’s Republican conference has been engulfed in chaos as it searches for a replacement. The process so far has involved three nominees for speaker, with Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota the latest to earn the nod and try to secure the 217 votes needed to win the gavel.

The effort to elect a new speaker began in early October, when GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida followed through on a threat to remove McCarthy after he worked with Democrats to avert a government shutdown. At least eight candidates are still vying to succeed McCarthy, with Republican indecision in the House so profound that GOP lawmakers on Monday gave a standing ovation to Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.) for dropping out of the speaker’s race, according to CNN.

The remaining candidates include Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, Rep. Mark Walker of North Carolina, and Rep. Gary Palmer of Alabama. Emmer is the latest to earn the nod and try to secure the 217 votes needed to win the gavel.

The Republican Party is facing a critical decision in the coming weeks as they try to decide on a new speaker. With the current state of the party in flux, it remains to be seen who will be able to secure the majority of votes and become the new leader of the House.