House GOP votes to drop Jim Jordan as nominee for speaker
FOX News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram has the latest on the quest for a new House speaker on 'America Reports.'
Nine House Republicans have emerged as official candidates to replace ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy after would-be replacement Jim Jordan was knocked out of the running last week.
A Sunday noon deadline was set for announced candidates after a closed-door House GOP vote on whether to keep Jordan, R-Ohio, as speaker designate.
Republicans are expected to meet behind closed doors on Monday evening for a candidate forum before a conference-wide election via secret anonymous ballot on Tuesday.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS VOTE TO REMOVE JIM JORDAN AS SPEAKER NOMINEE
Multiple candidates for House speaker emerged immediately after Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, center, ended his bid. That includes Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, left, and Rep. Jack Bergman of Michigan, a retired Marine Corps general.
Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern, R-Okla., was one of the first GOP lawmakers to put his hat in the ring on Friday afternoon.
"We must unify and do it fast," Hern said in a statement. "We need a different type of leader who has a proven track record of success, which is why I’m running for Speaker of the House."
Retired Marine Corps Gen. Jack Bergman, R-Mich., told Fox News Digital that he was also officially entering the race after fielding calls from "across the spectrum" of the GOP asking him to run. "I don't leave the battlefield in the middle of the fight, and I make sure that everybody on my left and right on that battlefield is coalesced as a team to win the fight," Bergman said in an interview.
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"I believe with my 40 years of experience, the highest level of leadership in the Marine Corps, my civilian experience… my dedication over my life to service and our country – not this country, our country – is the kind of leadership that the conservative movement needs."
Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who was named by GOP lawmakers on the House floor during Jordan's bid, is also running for speaker, his office told Fox News Digital.
Rep. Byron Donalds is also running for speaker, his office confirmed. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
"Under my leadership, the House will lead the charge to advance a simple objective: put the American people first, keep them safe, and make their lives easier," Donalds said in a statement.
Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., is also making calls to colleagues about a run for speaker, a source familiar with his plans told Fox News Digital.
On Saturday, GOP Conference Vice Chair Mike Johnson, R-La., sent a letter to colleagues formally announcing his bid. Reps. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., and Gary Palmer, R-Ala., threw their hats in the ring by the deadline, according to fellow lawmakers.
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Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., who challenged Jordan in the House Republicans’ last secret ballot for speaker, is also back in the race, his spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Another lawmaker, Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, announced his bid for speaker on Friday afternoon.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., is considering a run for speaker, a source told Fox News Digital. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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Meanwhile, other lawmakers had suggested they were weighing whether to run.
Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, told reporters he was "seriously considering" a run for speaker but opted to stay out of the fray.
"There are several capable candidates who have stepped forward to run, and I plan to support whomever our Conference elects on Tuesday," Arrington told Fox in a statement. "From my perspective, the real question for House Republicans isn’t, ‘Who will lead us as our next speaker?' but, rather, 'Are we ready to be led as a team?’
"The greatest threat to our conservative agenda isn’t the Democrats – it's disunity," he added. "The American people are weary of our dysfunction. At some point, we have to reunite as a Conference, refocus on our common cause, and get back in the fight for the future of our country."
This story has been updated.
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