All eyes on Capitol Hill polls as contenders lock in fierce race to assume top job

Endorsements for candidates are underway as runners are locked in tight race to ascend to leadership of House

Web Desk

October 06, 2023

The US Capitol building is seen early on the day of US President Joe Bidens State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 7, 2023. — Reuters — The US Capitol building is seen early on the day of US President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., February 7, 2023. — Reuters

Contenders for the top post in the House of Representatives are engaged in a competitive race after the historical ouster of Republican Kevin McCarthy who was deposed by his own party uprising against his policies and measures.

The Republican party is eyeing to seek election for the new leader of the House on October 11. Donald Trump hinted at assuming the office on a short-term basis provided his party does not find a candidate with concrete support.

Endorsements for the candidates are underway as the runners are locked in a tight race to ascend to the leadership of the House.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said that they are competing against each other for the post. Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern, R-Okla., also indicated to join the fray.

US Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California, speaks to the press on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on September 30, 2023. — AFP

"From having gone through the Speaker fight in January, I don’t think there was a path for Scalise to get the votes then and talking to colleagues I don’t think there will be a path now. And right now it’s not clear that Jim has a path either," Representative Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), who endorsed Jordan, told The Hill Thursday.

According to The Hill report, Hern has not officially entered the race and is working on contacting every member of the GOP conference before announcing his decision.

"They don't want the status quo, they don’t want somebody that’s been around 10, 15, 20 years, proceeding forward doing the same thing that we’ve seen time and time again," Hern said Wednesday on Newsmax.

"I think the most important thing is the vision that is cast that can unite the conference," Davidson added.

Davidson further stated: "The reality is, I’m not sure there’s any one person that everyone can trust. It’s who can put together a plan that everyone can buy into and say alright, I can get on board with doing that."

Both Scalise and Jordan, regard themselves in that context right person for the job.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives was removed from his post as a small number of fellow Republicans joined in an effort launched by Democrats to oust the leader of the House with a 216-210 vote.

Former US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media during the third day of his civil fraud trial in New York on October 4, 2023. — AFP

For the first time in its 234-year history, the House backed a resolution "to vacate the office of the speaker" setting the stage for an unprecedented contest to replace Kevin McCarthy a year before the presidential election.

Those who are planning to succeed the Californian representative are members of the GOP.

Representative Patrick McHenry from the Republican party — who is a close ally of the ousted leader of the house — was named as acting Speaker from a list designated by McCarthy and shared with the House clerk.

The Republicans who voted to oust fellow party member McCarthy were: Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, Matt Gaetz, Bob Good, Nancy Mace and Matt Rosendale.

An anonymous GOP lawmaker familiar with the matter told NBC News that Donald Trump's intention with the visit to Capitol Hill is to "unify the party," while the billionaire said his focus is on his presidential campaign.