As Tuesday morning dawns, House Republicans will convene in a clandestine setting to shed light on their preference for a new speaker nominee from a sizable roster of candidates. The pivotal question, however, lingers if any of the hopefuls can secure the requisite 217 votes to clinch the gavel ultimately.
In a discreet proxy of House sentiments, votes cast to select a nominee will be off the public gaze and via concealed ballots. The platform has been occupied by eight Republicans, post the ejection of Rep. Jim Jordan from the race, buttressed by a trio of failed floor votes. The ticking clock following the removal of erstwhile Speaker Kevin McCarthy has heightened the pressure on House Republicans, with the House being stuck in a standstill.
With an array of candidates eyeing the lead role, the proceedings involve successive rounds of secret balloting, from which the aspirant with the fewest nods is eliminated. The triumphant candidate must bag the support of a majority of the conference.
Nevertheless, securing a conference majority, albeit a significant feat, pales in comparison to winning the gavel on the House floor, which calls for a majority chamber vote. Given the deep-seated divides within the conference and GOP’s thin majority, the future nominee will find the vote calculus challenging.
Among the candidates, Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer, serving as majority whip, appears to be leading the charge. With McCarthy's endorsement bolstering his campaign, Emmer remains unfazed despite criticism from allies of ex-President Donald Trump due to his vote certifying the 2020 elections. After a GOP conference meet on Monday, Emmer confirmed having a cordial relationship with Trump when questioned.
The other contenders joining him in the race are Reps. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Byron Donalds of Florida, Austin Scott of Georgia, Gary Palmer of Alabama, Jack Bergman of Michigan and Pete Sessions of Texas.
In the run-up to the decisive vote, Republicans convened on Monday for a closed-door candidate forum. A withdrawal emerged from Rep. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania.
House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul of Texas conceded Monday that obtaining the requisite 217 votes on the floor would be challenging. At the same time, GOP Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida highlighted that at the failure of securing 217 votes, the conference might need to seek Democratic cooperation. Expressing apprehensions, Buchanan warned, “We’ve got to get the government open. People are very angry, upset.”
