Jordan, Scalise or Trump? Who will replace McCarthy as US House Speaker?

After a small group of hardliners ousted US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in a historic first on Tuesday, some Republicans in the House of Representatives began to place themselves to run for the crucial position.

As the seat remains vacant, here's a list who can possibly replace McCarthy as the US House Speaker.

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Jim Jordan

During the US House Speaker elections held in January, some Republican rebels nominated Representative Jim Jordan, an ally of Donald Trump. In one of the rounds of voting, he received 20 votes.

Previously, Jordan, the district of Ohio representative, challenged McCarthy in a race for minority leader in 2018. He is the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, one of the three panels at the centre of the impeachment inquiry into US President Joe Biden.

In a recent letter to his colleagues, Jordan wrote, "We can focus on the changes that improve the country and unite us in offering real solutions."

Steve Scalise

Representative Steve Scalise is another top contender to replace Kevin McCarthy as the US House Speaker. However, the legislature might raise questions about the Louisiana lawmaker's health, as he announced in August that he was in treatment for multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer.

But Matt Gaetz, the lawmaker who toppled McCarthy, has backed Scalise to take over the role. On Wednesday, Scalise declared his candidacy in a letter to his peers.

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Other Possible Candidates

• Although Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise are the leading candidates for the position of US House Speaker, there are some other names on the list as well. Kevin Hern, the Republican Study Committee chairman, told reporters that several representatives approached him to run for the role. The Oklahoma lawmaker suggested he would be open to it. However, he might have trouble attracting support from moderates.
• The House of Financial Services Committee chairman, Patrick McHenry, was named to step in as speaker. However, the North Carolina lawmaker, a McCarthy supporter, said he does not want the job.
• Multiple representatives have said they could consider the Minnesota lawmaker, Tom Emmer, for the position. He led the House Republicans' campaign arm during the 2022 midterm elections when the Republicans regained the House majority from Biden's Democrats.

Can Donald Trump replace McCarthy as US House Speaker?

Although the House of Representatives has always elected one of its members as the speaker, the US Constitution does not say that only an elected member can hold the position.

Thus, some Donald Trump allies have suggested the former president's name.

On Wednesday, Trump acknowledged the calls before entering the courtroom in his New York civil fraud trial. However, he might not be eligible for the role as he is under four criminal indictments.

(With inputs from agencies)

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