Live After Quit

Nine GOP Candidates Gunning for House Speaker: Who Will Win?

The race for a new House Speaker is heating up as nine Republicans have announced their bids for the powerful position. The current House Speaker, Paul Ryan, is not seeking re-election, and the midterms have brought a surge in Republican representation in Congress. With Democrats also pushing for their candidate for the Speaker’s office, the competition for Speaker is sure to be an interesting one. The nine Republicans vying for the position of House Speaker are Kevin McCarthy of California, Jim Jordan of Ohio, Mark Meadows of North Carolina, Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Steve Womack of Arkansas, Andy Harris of Maryland, Rob Bishop of Utah, Greg Walden of Oregon, and Pete Sessions of Texas. Each of these Representatives has their own distinct vision for how to capitalize on having more Republicans in Congress and ensure that their party’s policies and views are heard. Kevin McCarthy, from California’s 23rd District, was the House Majority Leader for the 115th Congress and is expected to be among the frontrunners for the role of Speaker. McCarthy has promised to focus on creating jobs and expanding economic growth, as well as reducing the national debt and combating the opioid crisis. He has also voiced support for making the tax cuts permanent and has proposed to reduce unnecessary regulations on businesses. Ohio’s Jim Jordan, from the 4th District, has served in Congress since 2007 and was a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus. Jordan has voted against many of his own party’s positions, such as the Affordable Care Act, and has proposed reducing government spending and attacking overregulation of businesses. Mark Meadows, from North Carolina’s 11th District, has served in the House since 2013. Meadows was also a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus and has promised to reduce government spending, eliminate wasteful bureaucracy, and protect the US-Mexico border. Steve Scalise, from Louisiana’s 1st District, has served in Congress since 2008 and since 2015 has served as the House Majority Whip. Scalise has vowed to pursue a conservative agenda and advance Republican positions on issues such as tax reform and economic growth. Steve Womack, from Arkansas’s 3rd District, was elected to the House in 2010 and also serves as the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Womack is a fiscal conservative and has promised to focus on reducing federal deficit spending and curb government overreach. Andy Harris, from Maryland’s 1st District, has served in the House since 2011 and is a strong proponent of border security, the Second Amendment, and cutting government regulations. He has also talked about increasing military spending, reforming the IRS, and making the tax cuts permanent. Rob Bishop, from Utah’s 1st District, was elected to Congress in 2002 and in 2017 was elected as the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. Bishop has proposed to reduce the federal government’s size and has vowed to push for conservation and energy independence. Greg Walden, from Oregon’s 2nd District, was first elected to Congress in 1998 and currently serves as the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Walden has proposed to reduce overcriminalization of America, reform immigration policy, and stimulate economic growth. Pete Sessions, from Texas’s 32nd District, was elected to the House in 1996 and in 2017 he was elected as the chairman of the House Rules Committee. Sessions has promised to reduce government regulation, promote fiscal responsibility, and protect the US border. With so many Republicans vying for the House Speaker’s office, the race for the new Speaker is sure to be an exciting one. It remains to be seen which Republican candidate will be able to best capitalize on the surge in Republican representation and take the lead in setting the agenda for the 116th Congress.