House GOP lawmakers are back to the drawing board as they scramble once again to find a new House speaker.
Following weeks of searching and many failed attempts, Republicans appear no closer to picking a new leader after the party dropped Rep. Jim Jordan as their nominee.
“We need to come together and figure out who our speaker is going to be,” said Jordan.
House Republicans plan to hold a forum for candidates when they reconvene on Monday, followed by a secret ballot vote on Tuesday morning.
“But the space and time for a reset is, I think, an important thing for House Republicans,” said House Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry.
According to a recent poll for The Economist, most Americans think the lack of a House speaker is “hurting the U.S. government's ability to function."
Democratic House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, who managed to get more votes than Jordan during Friday’s speakership vote, blasted Republicans and told reporters, “It’s time for House Republicans to embrace bipartisanship.”
What does the speaker of the House actually do?
Looking back on what the speaker actually does and how the role has changed dramatically over the years.
“It’s time for traditional Republicans to get off the sidelines, get in the arena, realize that the chaos, dysfunction, and extremism has to end, and the only way to do it is to figure out how we can partner in a bipartisan fashion to re-open the House and govern in a reasonable commonsense way,” said Jeffries.
Candidates need a majority, or 217 votes, to become speaker.
Several House Republicans have officially announced bids for House speaker or are considering the role, including reps. Tom Emmer from Minnesota, Brian Donalds from Florida, Mike Johnson from Louisiana, and Kevin Hern from Oklahoma
Emmer, who is currently the House Majority Whip, officially announced Saturday he would enter the speaker race in a letter to his colleagues asking for support, saying that in part, constituents are “counting on us to undo the damage Democrats have done and expand our conservative majority. We must come together for the good of the American people and ensure that our best days are ahead.”
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is reportedly backing Emmer for the role, saying Emmer “is the right person for the job.”
Rep. Johnson also announced a run for speaker over the weekend in a letter saying, “After much prayer and deliberation, I am stepping forward now."
The House of Representatives has gone 18 days without a speaker, essentially at a standstill.
Meanwhile, a government funding deadline is near, and chaos continues abroad.
