A new field of would-be U.S. House speakers takes shape after Jim Jordan fails

House Republicans have dispensed with Jim Jordan as their nominee for the U.S. speakership and now several more are preparing to enter the fray.

The new field began to take shape minutes after the party voted by secret ballot to rescind Trump loyalist Jim Jordan’s nomination to the leadership post.

Republicans plan to hold another candidate forum on Monday, allowing candidates time over the weekend to mount their campaigns, interim speaker Patrick McHenry said. Another nomination vote would be held as early as Tuesday.

Here are some of the lawmakers expected to try to claim the nomination:

Tom Emmer

Emmer, the party’s third-ranking official, has begun making calls for a speaker bid, according to person familiar with the calls.

He has had a tense relations with some Donald Trump supporters, in part because he voted to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. There also had been some criticism of him for leading the House GOP political arm in 2022, when the party picked up the majority, but a narrower one than expected.

Kevin Hern

The Oklahoma Republican has been waiting in the wings since former speaker Kevin McCarthy’s Oct. 3 ouster. He said Friday he would seek the speakership.

Hern, who chairs the 176-member Republican Study Committee, could win over some moderates as a more centrist alternative to Jordan, whose strong-arm tactics have backfired on moderates and more traditional Republicans.

Byron Donalds

The Florida Republican is a Trump acolyte and member of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus who has served as a surrogate for the former president on the campaign trail. He has described himself as a “Trump supporting, liberty loving, pro-life, pro-Second Amendment Black man,” and a person who “will bring the fight to the swamp creatures.”

Donalds forged a plan to keep the government open while cutting domestic spending, which more conservative members rejected.

A spokesman confirmed Friday he is running for speaker.

Jodey Arrington

The House Budget chairman says he’s seriously considering a run next week. Even before Jordan’s nomination was pulled, Arrington was calling colleagues to gauge his support in the fractious party, a Republican official said.

Arrington, who first came to Congress in 2017, has advocated deep cuts in federal spending to bring down budget deficits by $16 trillion over 10 years. Moderates have opposed his proposal and may be reluctant to back him as speaker.

Mike Johnson

Johnson, a former RSC chairman and a current member of the House GOP leadership team, is making calls to lawmakers about a potential bid, a spokeswoman confirmed.

The Louisiana Republican is a stalwart social conservative and member of Republican leadership team with a reputation for collegiality. He authored a “Commitment to Civility” pledge when he arrived at the Capitol in 2017 that was also signed by other incoming lawmakers.

Austin Scott

The Georgia Republican surprised lawmakers last week when he challenged Jordan for the nomination, receiving 81 votes.

Scott, who served as class president for the Tea Party wave of Republicans elected in 2010, has moderated in approach during his career. He defied Trump when he voted to certify the results of the 2020 election. Scott challenged Jordan for the Republican nomination and said immediately after Jordan’s nomination was rescinded that he would run again for the job.

Dan Meuser

The Pennsylvania Republican, who first came to Congress in 2019, told reporters he’s weighing a run.

Meuser has styled himself as a small-government congressman with the interest of taxpayers first and foremost, and he’s used his experience overseeing Pennsylvania’s tax system to push for reduced spending.

Jack Bergman

The Michigan Republican is a former Marine Corps three-star general and the highest-ranking combat veteran elected to Congress. Bergman, who first came to Congress in 2017, announced his interest in the speaker’s job earlier this week.

—With assistance from Mackenzie Hawkins, Jonathan Tamari and Maeve Sheehey.