As the GOP struggles to pick a speaker, the lawmaker wants to simplify the process

The House Speaker’s Role in Democrats’ Boundary Conditions: Mike Flood, Mike Jordan, Steve Scalise and Steve Inskeep

The House has been without a leader and unable to conduct business since a small group of hardline Republicans ousted Rep. Kevin McCarthy earlier this month. Mike Flood has a “unity pledge.” He hopes Republicans will sign the two-paragraph pledge and commit to supporting whoever the party nominates this a time.

First it appeared that Rep. Steve Shulise would replace McCarthy as House speaker, but later in the day he dropped out of the race. Rep. Jim Jordan campaigned for the role last week, but lost a secret vote to remain his party’s nominee after House Republicans rejected him on the floor three times, each by a bigger margin.

Republicans are trying once more. And there are nine representatives vying for the gig: Jack Bergman of Michigan, Byron Donalds of Florida, Tom Emmer of Minnesota, Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania, Gary Palmer of Alabama, Austin Scott of Georgia and Pete Sessions of Texas.

The Republicans will meet on Tuesday morning to vote on a nominee. This will be the third election of its kind in as many weeks: Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan were both named the party’s nominee, but pulled their candidacies after they failed to secure enough support to succeed on the floor. Scalise withdrew before trying on the floor and Jordan failed on three ballots by the full House. If all members of the House vote, any nominee will be given the gavel.

The Democrats have a greater number of House members than the Republicans. Their slim majority doesn’t leave much room for internal disagreements. And the floor vote is where that process has repeatedly broken down.

Flood told Steve Inskeep on Monday that a majority party is one that votes as a majority. He said generations of Republicans and Democrats have chosen a speaker amongst themselves and then voted in unison on the floor to elect that speaker.

“If we’re going to be a majority, we have to vote like a majority, and that means we have to find a candidate that can bring us together,” Flood said. “And I have to think that out of 222 people, we can find somebody.”

The government is 3 weeks away from potentially shutting down, and so he wants to see which people can come to the table.

Flood said that votes for the National Defense Authorization Act or Farm Bill will be delivered by the speaker in a month. “If you want this job, you have to be able to show that you can move people and that is my standard.”

A Conversation with Domenico Montanaro on Running for Speaker of the House of Representatives: Hern, Jordan and Mike Johnson, and a Democratic Candidate in the House Judiciary Committee

Emmer was once seen as a conservative firebrand, earning endorsements from the likes of former Alaska. Gov. Sarah Palin and Tea Party groups in his bid for governor and Congress.

But he has taken a more pragmatic approach as a member of the House. NPR’s Domenico Montanaro notes that he’s earned goodwill by running the National Republican Congressional Committee and has risen through the leadership ranks by building relationships, including with Democratic colleagues on his committees.

Emmer didn’t vote to overturn the election in 2020, nor has he endorsed the former president in the 2024 primary — meaning Trump’s allies don’t trust him.

Pragmatists in the party are looking to elect a leader to return to business, including funding the government and supporting Israel and (to some extent) Ukraine. Montanaro says that hardline Republicans seem to welcome the possibility of a shutdown, as it is a sign of the deeper divides in the GOP.

Hern considered running for speaker after McCarthy’s ouster, but did not officially enter the race at that time. Before entering politics Hern opened 24 McDonald’s restaurants and worked on the company’s corporate leadership team. He is a fiscal conservative and the chair of the Republican Study Committee. It’s seen as a good place to start in leadership roles – the former chairs include Jordan, and Mike Johnson.

Palmer is part of the current leadership team, and serves as the policy chair. He is a conservative who wants to focus on fiscal responsibility and show a contrast with Democrats.

This is Scott’s second foray into the speaker’s race this month. He challenged Jordan for the nomination in the second secret ballot election. Scott is one of the two candidates who did not object to certifying President Biden’s electoral college victory.

First elected in 1996, Sessions is the most senior candidate in the field. He has been involved in both the campaign and raising money for House Republicans, most recently as chair of the House Judiciary Committee.

The Republicans will vote in a secret election on Tuesday. The lowest vote getter in each round will be dropped from the race, and members will vote again. It could be a lengthy process. But if candidates drop out of their own accord and endorse someone else, that could move the process along.

Johnson was first elected in 2016 and is now the vice chair of the House Republican Conference. He is an attorney and served in the Louisiana state legislature before coming to Congress. He is on the Judiciary and Armed Services committees.

Emmer is the current Republican whip, and is seen as a potential frontrunner. But he could face resistance from conservative hardliners in the conference. He is not a close ally of or supporter of former President Trump as someone like Jordan was. He’s one of only two candidates — Rep. Austin Scott is the other — who voted to certify the 2020 election results. He’s also already in leadership, which means he brings experience to the role. But that position could also make him a target for the members who have called for a fresh face or a total leadership reset.

Elected in 2020, Donalds is the most junior member running for speaker. He is a member of the House Freedom Caucus and has quickly made a name for himself in conservative circles. During Kevin McCarthy’s January bid to secure the gavel, many of McCarthy’s opponents coalesced around Donalds as an alternate choice. He’s won endorsements from the conservative Tea Party Patriots Action and would be the first Black speaker of the House.

Bergman is a retired Marine and is touting his 40 years of military service and experience on the Armed Services and Veterans’ committees. He wants the job for the rest of the Congress.

Eight members remain in the race after Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., dropped out during a Monday meeting. Until a speaker is elected, the House is unable to move legislation on the floor to provide aid to Israel and Ukraine or fund the government past Nov. 17.

Three weeks after the vote to oust Kevin McCarthy threw the house into disarray, Republicans are going back to the drawing board to find a new speaker.