Related video: Trump claims ‘lots of people’ have asked him to run for speaker after McCarthy ousted
House Republicans will hold an official candidate forum today where lawmakers will debate who should become the next speaker of the House of Representatives.
Slated for 5pm ET, this comes ahead of an anticipated first vote on Wednesday to replace the role left vacant after Kevin McCarthy was unceremoniously ousted last week.
Two candidates – Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan – have officially entered the race but questions are mounting as to whether either of them has enough support to get the 218 votes needed to take the gavel.
On Monday, Mr McCarthy appeared to mull the possibility that he would be willing to stage a comeback.
Appearing on Hugh Hewitt’s radio programme on Monday, Mr McCarthy said, “Whatever the conference wants, I will do”.
At the press conference shortly after his removal on Tuesday, Mr McCarthy said: “I will not run for speaker again. I’ll have the conference pick somebody else.”
But as it’s unclear if anyone will be able to reach the required 218 votes, Mr Hewitt asked Mr McCarthy if he would put his name back in contention to break a deadlock.
“Look, the conference has to make that decision,” Mr McCarthy said.
