Who's in, who's out of race to become US House of Representatives speaker?

[October 21, 2023]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top job in the U.S. House of Representatives remained vacant on Friday, after hardline Republican Jim Jordan failed in his third bid for the gavel and dropped out of the race.

Here are some lawmakers being considered for speaker of the chamber, which has been without a leader since Oct. 3:

IN: KEVIN HERN

Representative Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus in Congress, kicked off his run for speaker minutes after Jordan said he had dropped out of the race, although the Oklahoma lawmaker did not win any votes in Friday's contest.

IN: AUSTIN SCOTT

Representative Austin Scott, a Georgia lawmaker who has kept a relatively low profile in his 12 years in Congress, also launched his candidacy on Friday, after he challenged Jordan for the nomination last week and failed. He did not receive any votes on Friday.

IN: PETE SESSIONS

Representative Pete Sessions, a Texas congressman since 1997 who chairs the House Rules Committee, declared his candidacy on Friday, saying he has the experience to unite the party.

IN: JACK BERGMAN

Representative Jack Bergman of Michigan, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant general who has been in congress since 2017, said on Friday his "hat is in the ring."

IN: HAKEEM JEFFRIES

Democrats have voted unanimously for their leader, Hakeem Jeffries, though, as the minority party in a chamber controlled 221-212 by Republicans, they do not have enough votes to elect him speaker.

POSSIBLE: TOM EMMER

Representative Tom Emmer of Minnesota, the House's No. 3 Republican and chief vote counter, received only one vote on Friday but won ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy's endorsement. The former ice hockey coach is speaking with members about a possible run, a source familiar said.

POSSIBLE: TOM COLE Powerful Rules Committee chair Tom Cole, who has represented Oklahoma since 2003 as one of only five Native Americans in Congress, could gain support from Democrats if nominated, although he has repeatedly tamped down talk of putting his name forward. After receiving one vote on Tuesday, no votes were cast for him on Friday.

Representative Kevin Hern (R-OK) speaks to the media ahead of a House Republican Conference meeting as the Republicans continue to work to choose a new Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., October 16, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo

POSSIBLE: BYRON DONALDS

Representative Byron Donalds, a Black Republican from Florida and member of the hardline House Freedom Caucus, was the choice for two from his party on Friday, months after he was nominated to challenge McCarthy for speaker in January.

POSSIBLE: JODEY ARRINGTON

Representative Jodey Arrington, a Texas Republican who is chair of the House Budget Committee, told reporters on Friday he would make a decision on whether to seek the speaker's job by Sunday ahead of a noon EST (1600 GMT) deadline for declarations.

OUT: STEVE SCALISE The Louisiana lawmaker and No. 2 House Republican, who was widely seen as McCarthy's heir apparent, received eight votes on Friday, the most of anyone other than Jordan, after being nominated as speaker last week and withdrawing after being unable to unify Republicans. Wounded during a baseball practice in 2017 and being treated for since August for multiple myeloma, Scalise had faced questions about his health.

OUT: JIM JORDAN

Representative Jim Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee and a driving force in the impeachment investigation of Democratic President Joe Biden, lost his third bid for the job after winning just 194 votes, well short of the 214 he needed, when 25 Republicans voted against him. After the vote, the Ohio lawmaker and Trump ally said the party should unite behind a new nominee and he would support whoever is chosen.

OUT: KEVIN MCCARTHY Representative and former speaker Kevin McCarthy has sent conflicting signals on whether he would seek the job again. The California lawmaker netted two votes during Friday's vote.

OUT: PATRICK MCHENRY

Republican Representative Patrick McHenry, acting speaker since Kevin McCarthy was ousted Oct. 3, received six votes for speaker during Friday's contest but has not entered the race, though some Republicans have suggested the North Carolina lawmaker could stay on and even some Democrats appeared open to him keeping the gavel. Asked on Friday if he was interested in the job, he said, "I'm not seeking it."

(Compiled by Katharine Jackson, David Morgan, Andy Sullivan, Makini Brice and Moira Warburton; Editing by Scott Malone, Alistair Bell, David Gregorio and Jonathan Oatis)

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