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Ray Bogan Political Correspondent
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Republicans meet Tuesday morning to choose new House speaker nominee

Ray Bogan Political Correspondent
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Republicans are set to vote on a new speaker of the House nominee Tuesday morning, Oct. 24. They hope to move to the floor for an official vote soon after the candidate is chosen, perhaps as early as Tuesday evening Oct. 24. 

The process will be similar to ranked-choice voting. All eight candidates will be on the ballot; the person who receives the fewest votes will be knocked off, and they’ll keep going until someone gets a majority. 

During a forum Monday night, the eight candidates made their case and answered questions about how they would handle issues like government funding, border security, aid packages to Israel and Ukraine, and more. 

Here are the candidates

Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn.

“The American people elected us to deliver on a conservative agenda that secures our border, stops reckless spending, and holds Joe Biden accountable. We cannot afford to fail them. I’m running for Speaker of the House to bring our conference together and get back to work.”

Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La.

“I believe the survival and future of our republic may well be decided over the next 12 months. I believe that each one of us was specifically born for this moment and called and equipped by our Creator for the battle ahead.” 

Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. 

“My pitch is very simple – this is going to be a process where it’s member-driven, not speaker-driven.” 

Rep. Austin Scott R-Ga. 

“I told my colleagues, if you’ll accept the one who’s honest, who’s got courage and a strong work ethic, I would love to be your speaker.” 

Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich. 

“What we need right now is a Speaker who has experience leading and can put ego aside to work together for the American people. We need a leader who shuns permanent power and recognizes the current crisis of leadership. I’m ready to serve.”

Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala. 

“The American people are desperate for authentic leadership. Leadership that is steady and conservative. This is why I decided to step forward in the race for Speaker of the House.”

Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas 

“I am running for Speaker of the House because I know 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.”

Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla. 

“I didn’t come here to BE someone. I came here to DO something. I’m running for Speaker of the House so that we can get our country back on the right track.”

There’s a rule in the Republican conference that everyone is supposed to support whichever candidate becomes the nominee with a majority vote. But as the country has seen, not all members have followed that rule, and some are indicating that might happen again. 

“I need to talk to the nominee before they get my vote,” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., told reporters. 

“If we’re going to continue to have five or eight or 10 folks who are just going to, you know, watch the House burn for another week, then that’s on them,” Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., said of the possibility of a drawn-out process. 

Members are feeling pressure from the public to get this done. According to a USA Today/Suffolk University poll, 67% of voters, including a majority of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, say the house needs to elect a speaker as soon as possible. 

Tuesday, Oct. 24, marks three full weeks without a speaker. 

“I just got back from my district in Sarasota, Florida, and people are very worked up down there about that, and they think all of us are incapable,” Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., said.  

“It just shows that we’re not functioning as a majority,” Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., said of the past three weeks.

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Republicans are set to vote on a new nominee for Speaker of the House Tuesday morning. They hope to move to the floor for an official vote quickly after the candidate is chosen,  perhaps as early as Tuesday evening. 

 

Eight candidates are in the running. There were nine until Pennsylvania’s Daniel Meuser dropped out. 

 

(show scalise and others walking out that we didn’t use sots) 

During a candidate forum Monday night, the candidates made their case and answered questions about how they’d handle issues like government funding, border security, aid packages to Israel and Ukraine and more. 

 

Byron Donalds R-FL  

My pitch is very simple. This is gonna be a process whereas member driven, not speaker driven.

 

Rep. Austin Scott R-GA 

I told my colleagues, if you’ll accept the one who’s honest, we’ve got courage and a strong work ethic. I would love to be your speaker.

 

Other candidates include Majority Whip Tom Emmer, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Jack Bergman of Michigan, Gary Palmer of Alabama,  Pete Sessions of Texas and Kevin Her. If Oklahoma. 

 

There’s a rule in the republican conference that everyone is supposed to support whichever candidate becomes the nominee with a majority vote. But as the country has seen, not all members have followed that rule, and some are indicating that may happen again. 

 

Rep. Thomas Massie, R- KY 

I need to talk to the nominee before they get my vote.

 

Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D.  

If we’re going to continue to have five or eight or 10 folks who are just going to, you know, watch the house burn for another week, then that’s on them. 

Members are feeling pressure from the public to get this done. 

According to a USA/Today Suffolk poll, 67% percent of voters, including a majority of republicans, democrats and independents say the house needs to elect a speaker as soon as possible. 

Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-FL

I just got back from the district in Sarasota, Florida and people are very worked out down there about that. And I think all of us are, are incapable.

Rep. Brett Guthrie R-KY

And I just shows that we’re not functioning as as a majority.

But most members who spoke with reporters said they believe one of these candidates will earn enough votes to be elected speaker, and that it’ll happen this week. Straight from DC, I’m Ray Bogan.