The race to find a potential candidate for Speaker of the US House of Representatives

After Mr. McCarthy lost his job, the Republicans in the US House of Representatives faced the headache of who could take on this difficult position.

Mr. Kevin McCarthy was dismissed as Speaker of the House of Representatives after the vote on October 3, when 8 far-right Republican lawmakers and all Democrats in the House of Representatives opposed him. Congressman Patrick McHenry was appointed interim House leader while Republicans searched for a replacement for the position.

Whit Ayres, a Republican pollster, said that this will be a very difficult process, when no candidate is outstanding enough to end the party's internal fighting or provide a way out. for upcoming budget negotiations.

Congressman Steve Scalise (left) with Mr. McCarthy at a press conference on Capitol Hill in December 2022. Photo: Reuters

"As long as far-right Republicans continue to make life miserable for anyone who sits in that seat, this is going to be a difficult position. I don't think anyone wants to take this position in the current climate." ", Ayres said.

Steve Scalise , the majority leader and the second most powerful Republican in the House of Representatives, is theoretically the first candidate chosen to succeed Mr. McCarthy. With a more conservative stance than McCarthy, Mr. Scalise can win support from the far-right Freedom Caucus and other conservative members who are dissatisfied with the former president.

However, Scalise announced in September that he was being treated for multiple myeloma. His illness has improved significantly, but this may still be the reason why it is difficult for him to take on important responsibilities.

Matt Gaetz, the far-right congressman who led the effort to oust McCarthy, publicly supported Scalise to become the new leader of the House. He said Scalise should not be rejected simply because of health concerns.

But some Republicans may not see Scalise as their top choice. Other hard-line conservatives like congressman Andy Biggs want Tom Emmer , deputy majority leader and the third most powerful Republican congressman in the House, to replace Mr. McCarthy.

Emmer, a Republican congressman from Minnesota, has twice served as chairman of the Republican House campaign. He has good relationships with dozens of Republicans he has helped get elected. At the same time, as deputy majority leader, he took on the task of creating a bridge between factions in the party, so he was very popular with all parties.

"He is a vocal person, has good relationships. And he does not lie to us," Gaetz once said about Emmer.

However, Emmer may also face criticism when the Republicans had poor results in last year's midterm elections, leaving them only 9 seats ahead of the Democrats and holding a fragile majority. in the House of Representatives.

In addition, Emmer also said that he has no intention of taking on the position of Speaker of the House, according to Politico . "I fully support House Speaker McCarthy. I am not interested in infighting," he said.

Congressman Tom Emmer at a press conference in Washington on April 26. Photo: Reuters

Republican Congressman Elise Stefanik of New York state could also be a potential candidate for the position of Speaker of the House. Stefanik is the fourth leader of the Republican Party in the House of Representatives and emerged as a brand of the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement during the term of former president Donald Trump .

Unlike McCarthy, Scalise or Emmer, who refused to name the Republican presidential candidate they support, Stefanik is a strong voice of support for Mr. Trump in the 2024 race.

This may help her win support from the right wing of the party, but it is unlikely to win any votes from Democratic members to become Speaker of the House. If she runs, she will need nearly all Republicans in the House of Representatives to support her to become the new Speaker.

In addition, Republican congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio may also be a name mentioned in the election of Speaker of the House. Jordan is the former leader of the far-right group Freedom Caucus and is currently the chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee.

He led the effort to defend former President Trump during the first impeachments. Jordan may be one of the few candidates who can actually please the far-right wing of the party. However, other Republicans with moderate views will likely be wary of this candidate.

Some other names that may also be considered as candidates for Speaker of the House include Chairman of the House Rules Committee Tom Cole, Louisiana congressman Garret Graves or Chairman of the House Finance Committee and Chairman. House Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry.

The least expected candidate is former president Donald Trump . Two Republican congressmen Troy Nehls and Greg Steube announced that they will nominate him as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the session scheduled to be held on October 10.

The US Constitution theoretically allows Mr. Trump to become McCarthy's replacement, because there is no requirement that the Speaker of the House must be a current member of the House of Representatives.

However, Mr. Trump on October 4 expressed that he was not interested in becoming Speaker of the House of Representatives and was "fully focused" on the 2024 presidential election. History also shows that 55 people have held the position of Speaker. The Speakers of the House of Representatives for the past 234 years in the US have all been senators.

To become Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Trump will likely have to win enough support from Republicans in the House of Representatives, while some Republican lawmakers have expressed dissatisfaction with him and want the party to leave. away from " Trumpism ". These lawmakers believe that the negative influence from Trump is the reason the Republican Party failed to create a "red wave" in the 2022 midterm elections and failed to win an overwhelming majority in the House of Representatives as expected.

Former US President Donald Trump in New York on October 3. Photo: Reuters

Nicole Narea, an analyst for Vox , predicts that the process of finding a new House leader will take a long time, especially when it is unclear who can win the support of moderate Republicans as well as members. far-right members in the party.

The new Speaker of the House of Representatives will also immediately face headaches that need to be resolved, such as fierce controversies and conflicts within the Republican Party and negotiations on a long-term government budget bill, after The 45-day agreement expired, according to Narea.