Add Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., to the growing list of House Republicans throwing their hat into the crowded ring to be the next GOP House speaker.
"I'm in," Johnson, who is a prominent member of the House Judiciary Committee and the House Republican Conference vice chair, posted on X Saturday, linking to his letter to GOP colleagues announcing his candidacy.
Johnson's letter called for "principled leadership" from the House GOP majority, adding he has "never aspired" to be speaker but is called to duty by "so many members across our conference."
"It is incumbent upon us now to decide upon a consensus candidate who can serve as a trusted caretaker and a good steward of the gavel," Johnson's letter read.
"We all agree the urgency this hour demands a specific plan and bold, decisive action."
Johnson, also the former chair of the Republican Study Committee, the largest panel in the House, is a socially and fiscally conservative constitutional law attorney who has been a member since 2017.
He billed himself as a "team player and a bridge-builder."
The speakership remained vacant Saturday after Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, failed in his third bid for the gavel and dropped out of the race.
Here are the other latest candidates:
- Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee.
- Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.
- Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, House Rules Committee chair.
- Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich., a retired Marine Corps lieutenant general.
- Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., the House's No. 3 Republican and chief vote counter and a former ice hockey coach, who said in a social media post Saturday that he was running "to bring our conference together and get back to work."
- Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., a Black Republican and member of the hard-line House Freedom Caucus.
- Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., the minority leader who has had unanimous support among Democrats throughout the process since the GOP took over the majority in January.
Potential candidates:
- Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., one of only five Native Americans in Congress who could gain support from Democrats if nominated.
- Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, chair of the House Budget Committee.
Candidates who have taken their name out of consideration after failing to achieve the necessary votes:
- Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., the No. 2 House Republican, who has been treated since August for multiple myeloma, raising questions about his health.
- Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, hair of the House Judiciary Committee and a driving force in the impeachment investigation of President Joe Biden.
- Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., the former speaker who had received eight House GOP members filing his notice to vacate.
- Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C.
Information from Reuters was used to compile this report.
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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