All nine candidates for House speaker have signed the pledge to support the eventual nominee, Axios reported Monday evening.
The pledge — authored by GOP conference chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. — was circulated by Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., to help ensure the nominee gets the 217 votes necessary to get elected. Flood's office confirmed to Axios that every candidate signed the pledge.
"House Republicans need to elect a Speaker as soon as possible in order to return to work on behalf of the American people. It is time to put politics and personalities aside and unite behind the next Republican Conference choice for Speaker," the 2-paragraph letter began.
The candidates "pledge to support the Speaker Designate duly elected by the House Republican Conference — regardless of who that candidate is — when their election proceeds to the House Floor. Further, I pledge to vote for the Speaker Designate on the House Floor for as long as they remain the Speaker Designate."
However, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, supported Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., when he was the nominee and vice-versa. But it didn't matter; Scalise never advanced to a floor vote while Jordan lost three floor votes.
The nine candidates for House speaker include House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn.; House Republican Vice Conference Chair Mike Johnson, R-La.; Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern, R-Okla.; Republican Policy Committee Chair Gary Palmer, R-Ala.; Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.; Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich.; Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.; Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas; and Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa.
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