Seven Republican representatives announce their candidacy for speaker

House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik announced the nine GOP representatives who officially presented their candidacy for speaker. Two have since withdrawn from the race, bringing the number of candidates to seven. Republicans will now choose one candidate among them to present for a vote on the floor.

Jack Bergman

A retired Marine Corps. general, Bergman enters the battle for speaker after the failures of Steve Scalise's and Jim Jordan's attempt to replace the ousted Kevin McCarthy. In the announcement of his candidacy, the representative from Michigan says his "hat is in the ring" to "save [the] House from continuing dysfunction."

Byron Donalds

Being on the shortlist of candidates for speaker of the House is not new for Donalds, who was the second name that the "Never Kevin" crew nominated as an alternative to McCarthy in January. On this occasion, however, the Florida representative aspires to become the first black speaker on his own accord, and he has four clear objectives: "Secure our border, fund our government responsibly, advance our conservative agenda and expand our Republican majority." He is one of the most conservative candidates, and he is a member of the Freedom Caucus.

Tom Emmer

The current House majority whip initially supported Scalise, which would have slated him to become the majority leader. Following the withdrawal of Scalise and Jordan, Emmer announced his candidacy "to bring our conference together and get back to work." Emmer stressed that Americans gave the majority to the GOP "to deliver on a conservative agenda that secures our border, stops reckless spending, and holds Joe Biden accountable." Emmer voted in favor of certifying Trump's defeat in 2020, so he will encounter considerable resistance among the MAGA wing of his party. Former Speaker McCarthy expressed his support for Emmer publicly last Sunday in an interview on NBC.

Kevin Hern

The Oklahoma representative announced his candidacy, saying the GOP needs "a different type of leader who has proven track record of success." Hern stressed Republicans' need to "unify and do it fast."

Michael Johnson

"After much prayer and deliberation," the Louisiana congressman announced his decision to run for speaker. Johnson called on the members of his conference to choose a consensus candidate and prioritize strong management and the expansion of the conservative majority in the House in the next elections.

Gary Palmer (WITHDRAWN)

Palmer ran for speaker in response to Americans' "desperation" for "real leadership. Leadership that is strong and conservative," his statement read. The Alabama representative called on members of his conference to be concerned about the real issues facing citizens such as the state of the economy, the dangers to national security, the rise in crime and drug trafficking, and the risk of bankruptcy. On Tuesday, Oct. 24, one day after Dan Meuser, Palmer announced that he was withdrawing from the process. He assured that he will work hand in hand with the next speaker.

Austin Scott

The representative from Georgia announced an alternative candidacy to Jordan last week, although he ultimately voted for Jordan after failed to gain enough votes himself. He was one of McCarthy's staunchest defenders and harshly confronted the eight members of his party who orchestrated his removal. He stressed that "if we are going to be the majority we need to act like the majority, and that means we have to do the right things the right way."

Pete Sessions

Sessions alluded to his extensive career and achievements in the announcement of his candidacy, having served in numerous leadership roles in the House of Representatives. The representative from Texas assured that he knows "what it will take to move the Republican Party forward. I was Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee when we won 63 seats in the House & had our largest victory since the Republican Revolution of 1994. During my six-year tenure as Chairman of the House Rules Committee, I helped usher a conservative agenda through Congress.”

Dan Meuser (WITHDRAWN)

The representative from Pennsylvania announced that he was withdrawing from the race on Monday. In the original announcement of his candidacy, Meuser said that inclusion will be the central point of his message as a candidate. He stressed that "every Member of the Republican Conference needs to be a part of policy making, legislation and communications. That feeling of ownership builds a team culture, which is needed as we move our party forward." He also indicated that he will support the candidate who has the best chance of getting 217 votes in the chamber. As for his political priorities, he noted: "It's time to get back to work and fight for a fiscally responsible budget, promote energy dominance, secure our border, protect our national security, weed out corruption, and earn the trust of the American people."