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Here's what happened Friday in the House speaker saga — and what is expected to occur next
From CNN's Clare Foran,Melanie Zanona,Haley TalbotandAnnie Grayer
House Republicans are once again scrambling with no clear path to elect a new speaker after voting to push Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan out of the race — the latest sign of the chaos and divisions that have engulfed the majority party and left the chamber in a state of paralysis.
If you are just tuning in, here's what you need to know about today's developments:
- The race is wide open again: The stage is now set for new speaker hopefuls to emerge – and a number of Republicans jumped into the race shortly after Jordan’s exit. It is increasingly uncertain, however, whether any lawmaker can get the 217 votes needed to win the gavel while Republicans control such a narrow majority. Republicans are expected to hold a candidate forum Monday evening and select a nominee by secret ballot Tuesday. Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer, who serves as majority whip, is making calls to run, according to two sources. And McCarthy is backing him for speaker, sources tell CNN, delivering an early boost for his candidacy. McCarthy did not publicly endorse a candidate when Jordan and House Majority Leader SteveScalise vied for the nomination.
- Jordan loses secret ballot: In a dramatic turn of events, the House GOP conference voted by secret ballot on Friday to dropJordanas their speaker designee after he failed to win the gavel for the third time in a floor vote earlier in the day. Jordan’s failure to win the gavel highlighted the limits of former President Donald Trump’s influence in the speaker’s race after he endorsed Jordan. Speaking to reporters after the vote to push him out, Jordan said, “We need to come together and figure out who our speaker is going to be,” and said he told the conference, “It was an honor to be their speaker designee.”
- Third failed floor vote: The move by Republicans against Jordan came after three failed floor votes for his speaker bid and vows from the Ohio Republican to remain in the race despite mounting opposition. In Friday’s floor vote, 25 House Republicans voted against Jordan – a higher number than in the two prior votes and far more than the handful of defectors Jordan could afford to lose and still win the gavel given the GOP’s narrow majority.
- What Republicans are saying: A number of Republicans left Friday’s closed-door meeting sounding more confused than ever about the path forward and who is best to lead them. Many expressed frustration and some called for reflection after the collapse of Jordan’s speakership bid. “We’re back to square one,” South Dakota Rep. Dusty Johnson said.
- The chamber is still in limbo: The House remains effectively frozen as long as there is no elected speaker. The paralysis has created a perilous situation as Congress faces the threat of a government shutdown next month and conflict unfolds abroad. The battle for the speakership has now dragged on for more than two weeks with no end in sight.
Emmer plans to run "entirely positive" campaign for speaker, source says
From CNN's Melanie Zanona
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer plans to run an "entirely positive" campaign for speaker and “won’t attack his opponents,” a source close to him says – betting it will be a welcome change in style, following weeks of nasty infighting in a bitterly divided GOP where some members have seen death threats over their speaker votes.
“Emmer plans to run an entirely positive speaker race and will not attack his opponents. He believes members will not respond well to negative campaigning after the past couple weeks,” said the source familiar with Emmer’s thinking.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is backing Emmer for speaker. McCarthy did not publicly endorse a candidate when Rep. Jim Jordan and House Majority Leader SteveScalise vied for the nomination.
House Republicans share schedule of next steps in speaker race and election
From CNN's Manu Raju
House Republicans have shared the following schedule regarding next steps in the speaker race and election:
- The deadline for members to file their candidacy as speaker will be Sunday at noon ET.
- The candidate forum will be held Monday at 6:30 p.m. ET. Members will be able to make their case to the GOP conference.
- The secret ballot leadership election will take place Tuesday 9 a.m. ET.
The timing of a floor vote is still unclear.
McCarthy backing Emmer for speaker
From CNN's Manu Raju and Melanie Zanona
Rep. Kevin McCarthy is backing Rep. Tom Emmer for House speaker, sources tell CNN, delivering an early boost to his candidacy in what is shaping up to be a crowded race.
"He is the right person for the job. He can unite the conference. He understands the dynamics of the conference. He also understands what it takes to win and keep a majority," the former House speaker said of Emmer in a statement.
McCarthy did not publicly endorse a candidate when it was Rep. Jim Jordan and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise vying for the nomination.
How this Congress keeps setting records with its speaker votes
From CNN's Christopher Hickey
TheRepublican-controlled118th Congress has set many firsts.
On Jan. 3, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy became the first candidate in the majority party to lose a bid for the House speakership in 100 years. He won the gavel in the 15th round of voting, making his election the longest since before the Civil War.
Then, on Oct. 3, McCarthy became the first House speaker in history to be removed by a motion to vacate.
Now, as the House seeks a new speaker, the 118th is the first ever Congress to need two speaker elections with multiple ballots. Rep. Jim Jordan, who on Friday lost his third round of voting and later lost in a secret ballot, is no longer a nominee.
Here is the history of multiple-ballot House speaker elections:
WhiteHouselambasts"chaoticinfighting"inthe House
From CNN's Betsy Klein
TheWhiteHouseoffered reaction tothe HouseRepublicans’ continued failure to elect a speaker after another loss for Rep. Jim Jordan Friday, calling outthe“chaoticinfighting” ontheother side of Pennsylvania Avenue.
WhiteHousespokesperson Andrew Bates ticked off Biden’s latest $105 billion national security supplemental funding request priorities as he contrasted those efforts withtheongoing dysfunctioninthe legislative branch.
“While Joe Biden fights to advance bipartisan legislation that will protect our national securityinterests -includinginIsrael and Ukraine - provide humanitarian assistance forinnocent civiliansinGaza, deliver critical border funding, compete with China, and grow our economy,HouseRepublicans are somehow still fighting with each other,” Bates said.
He continued, “HouseRepublicans need to endtheirchaoticinfightingandtheir competitions to out-extreme one another, andinstead joinPresident Bideninworking on urgent priorities for American families shared by both partiesinCongress.”
The Biden campaign is also piling on, saying that House Republicans have “humiliated themselves and failed the American people.”
Scalise will not run for speaker again
From CNN's Melanie Zanona
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise will not run again for speaker, according to a source.
Scalise haddropped out of the speaker’s race earlier this month after House Republicans failed to coalesce behind him.
Rep. Pete Sessions is telling members he's running for speaker
From CNN's Annie Grayer
Texas GOP Rep. Pete Sessions is also making calls to members telling them he is running for speaker, a lawmaker who received a call from Sessions tells CNN.
Sessions is among the growing list of members who are throwing their hat in the ring for speaker now that the field is wide open.
Rep. Mike Johnson is making calls for speaker
From CNN's Melanie Zanona
Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana, the vice conference chair and Judiciary member, is making calls for speaker, according to a source.
