House not planning vote for speaker this afternoon after GOP nominates Scalise

The House will not hold a speaker Wednesday evening after the GOP selected a nominee, Fox News has learned.

The House will reconvene Thursday around noon.

House Republicans selected Rep. Steve Scalise as the nominee for speaker earlier Wednesday at a caucus conference, but it was not clear that he had the votes to win the speakership on the floor.

Scalise received 113 votes from his fellow Republican members while opponent Rep. Jim Jordan won 99. Following the secret vote, some members said Wednesday that they had concerns with Scalise, and indicated they would vote for Jordan on the floor.

The House gaveled in briefly around 3 p.m., but immediately went into recess.

Fox is told that the Republican caucus will hold a conference meeting on Thursday.

Following the Wednesday conference, Jordan threw his support behind Scalise and urged his colleagues to unite around the nominee. Jordan is also expected to give the nominating speech on the House floor when the vote occurs, sources told Fox News.

Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed reporting

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., emerged from the office where House GOP leaders are huddled on Wednesday evening telling reporters she would support Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., for speaker.

Scalise was elected as his party’s candidate for speaker earlier in the day during a closed door vote but has since had some trouble getting enough support in the GOP conference to bring a full House vote to the floor.

Luna, who was leaning toward Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan for speaker, would not say immediately after the meeting whether she’d fall in line behind Scalise.

“After talking to Representative Scalise, I feel very confident that he's going to allow me to aggressively pursue justice for this country and this nation," Luna said. "And so I'll be supporting him on the floor.”

“But again, that is because he will be aggressively allowing me to pursue and do my job,” she said.

Without giving details, Luna said she got assurances from Scalise that she would be able to take on “the weaponization of Jack Smith” and the Biden impeachment inquiry in her capacity as a member of the Oversight Committee.

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told reporters that he is backing his longtime No. 2 for his old job.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., won a closed-door conference vote earlier in the day to become the Republican majority’s next candidate for speaker.

But any confidence in a quick House vote to seal the deal dissipated quickly as several GOP lawmakers publicly announced they would not support him in a chamber-wide vote.

Asked if he has any advice for Scalise, McCarthy said: “Look, Steve's going to have to talk to them all, see what the concerns are.”

“But I'm supporting Steve,” he added.

The two House Republican leaders have had a longstanding rivalry which at times has boiled into public jabs this year, particularly when hardline Republicans held up the House floor over anger at McCarthy for the bipartisan debt limit deal.

Rep. Jim Jordan and Rep. Steve Scalise both were candidates for the GOP nomination. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Rep. Jim Jordan is expected to give a nominating speech for GOP speaker nominee Steve Scalise, whenever a vote is held on the House floor, Fox News is told.

Republicans voted on Wednesday afternoon to nominate Scalise as their nominee for the speaker's gavel. Scalise won 113 votes, Jordan won 99.

The full chamber had been expected to vote as early as 3 p.m. for a new speaker, but the House went into recess on Wednesday afternoon and a vote is not currently planned.

A source with direct knowledge told Fox that Jordan will vote for Scalise and is encouraging his colleagues to do so. Now, Fox is told he will also give a nominating speech.

Someone on the Democratic side will likely do the same for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries -- who is expected to be the Democrats' choice for speaker. Before the clerk calls the roll for a floor vote, members can nominate a candidate on the floor and give remarks.

Fox News' Kelly Phares, Tyler Olson and Liz Elkind contributed to this report.

Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., arrives to speak to reporters after a closed-door meeting of House Republicans during which he was nominated as their candidate for Speaker of the House, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

The House has come into session, but then recesses subject to the call of the chair, leaving it unclear if a speaker vote could occur today in the chamber.

The chamber had been expected to vote as early as 3 p.m. for a new speaker, after Republican voted behind closed doors to nominate Steve Scalise as their nominee to pick up the gavel.

Scalise won 113 votes, Jordan won 99 in a secret ballot. Timing of the vote is up to Scalise, but some lawmakers suggested there was going to be a vote at 3 p.m. ET.

That immediately brought objections from Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who said he would not vote for Scalise and called the timing of the vote "unacceptable & purposeful."

Sources later told Fox News Digital that the House would go into recess and a vote is not currently planned for Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a source with direct knowledge told Fox that Jordan will vote for Scalise and is encouraging his colleagues to do so.

Fox News' Chad Pergram and Liz Elkind contributed to this report.

U.S. House Republican Whip Steve Scalise speaks at a press conference following a Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol on June 08, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan plans to vote for Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., on the floor and is encouraging his colleagues to do the same, a source with direct knowledge tells Fox News Digital.

Republicans chose Scalise  as their candidate over Jordan earlier today. The vote was by secret ballot. Scalise won 113 votes, Jordan won 99.

A vote had been expected as early as Wednesday afternoon, but sources told Fox that the House will recess at 3pm and a vote is not currently planned for today. Some Republicans have said they will not vote for Scalise, including Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas.

Earlier Wednesday, a Jordan spokesperson told Fox that Jordan was going to meet with Scalise, and was not whipping votes.

“We’re headed to the Capitol to meet with Scalise and we’re not whipping votes," Jordan spokesperson Russell Dye told Fox News Digital.

The vote comes after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted in a vote by eight members of his own party and all House Democrats last week. That moment marked the first time in history the U.S. House of Representatives voted to remove its own leader.

Fox News' Liz Elkind and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, says he will not vote for Steve Scalise as House Speaker and took aim at what he called an "unacceptable & purposeful" vote timing.

"I will not be voting for @SteveScalise on the floor this afternoon. The House GOP should NOT have called a vote at 300pm after finishing the vote at 130pm in Conference."

"That is unacceptable & purposeful," he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla. had told Fox News that he expects a floor vote for speaker as soon as 3 p.m. today. Hern also announced his running to succeed Scalise as majority leader.

However, the timing of the vote is still up to Scalise, and will likely be dependent on if he has the votes to secure the speaker's gavel.

Republicans chose Scalise as their candidate over House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan earlier this afternoon. The vote was by secret ballot.

Scalise won 113 votes, Jordan won 99

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, arrives as House Republicans hold a closed-door meeting to vote by secret ballot on their candidate for speaker of the House, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan will soon meet with Rep. Steve Scalise after Scalise secured the Republican nomination to be the next speaker of the House -- and will not be whipping votes, a spokesperson said.

“We’re headed to the Capitol to meet with Scalise and we’re not whipping votes," Jordan spokesperson Russell Dye told Fox News Digital.

Republicans chose Scalise as their candidate over Jordan. The vote was by secret ballot. Scalise won 113 votes, Jordan won 99.

A vote is expected House-wide as early as 3pm this afternoon.

Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla. told Fox News that he expects a floor vote for speaker as soon as 3 p.m. today. Hern also announced his running to succeed Scalise as majority leader. But the timing of the vote remains up to Scalise.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise speaks to reporters after a closed-door vote meeting to nominate the US Speaker of the House candidate at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, October 11, 2023. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Fox News Medical Analyst Marc Siegal M.D., writes for Fox News Opinion about the "game-changing" approach to Steve Scalise's cancer that he says will make his fit to lead the House of Representatives.

"Symptoms of multiple myeloma include bone pain, fractures, fatigue, weight loss, frequent infections. Steve Scalise has a lot to deal with in his treatment and recovery from this dreaded cancer.

"But as with his near deadly gunshot wound, I would bet on his courage, perseverance, positive attitude, and faith to bring him there. I believe he is fit to heal and fit to lead," he says in a column.

Republicans chose Scalise as their candidate over House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan. The vote was by secret ballot. Scalise won 113 votes, Jordan won 99.

A House-wide vote is now expected as early as 3 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. Democrats are expected to select Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries as their candidate,

Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., speaks with reporters on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

The House is expected to vote on the next speaker of the House as soon as 3pm today after Rep. Steve Scalise secured the Republican nomination for the gavel.

Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla. told Fox News that he expects a floor vote for speaker as soon as 3 p.m. today. Hern also announced his running to succeed Scalise as majority leader.

However, the timing of the vote is still up to Scalise.

Republicans chose Scalise as their candidate over House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan in the last hour. The vote was by secret ballot. Scalise won 113 votes, Jordan won 99.

It comes after House Republicans voted minutes earlier to table a motion to raise the threshold for electing a speaker to 217 — a majority of the conference.

Scalise had an edge with moderate Republicans and establishment GOP lawmakers while Jordan was a favorite of top members of the House Freedom Caucus, which Jordan used to chair.

It comes after the ouster last week of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who had served in the position since January.

Fox News' Tyler Olson and Liz Elkind contributed to this report.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of La., speaks to reporters as he arrives for a meeting of House Republicans to vote on candidates for Speaker of the House on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Majority Leader Steve Scalise has won the Republican nomination to be the next speaker of the House.

Republicans chose Scalise as their candidate over House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan. The vote was by secret ballot. Scalise won 113 votes, Jordan won 99.

It comes after House Republicans voted minutes earlier to table a motion to raise the threshold for electing a speaker to 217 — a majority of the conference.

Scalise had an edge with moderate republicans and establishment GOP lawmakers while Jordan was a favorite of top members of the House Freedom Caucus, which Jordan used to chair.

Scalise has been the longtime no. 2 of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy -- who was ousted last week by his own party -- despite a years long rivalry between the two men.

Democrats are expected to nominate Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries as their candidate. A House-wide vote is expected this afternoon.

Fox News' Liz Elkind and Tyler Olson contributed to this report.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of La., speaks to reporters as he arrives for a meeting of House Republicans to vote on candidates for Speaker of the House on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

House Republicans have finished voting and secret ballots are now being tabulated to see who will emerge as their next candidate for speaker.

The race is between Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan. The vote will be via secret ballot and there could be multiple rounds if neither nominee gets enough votes to secure the nomination on first try.

It comes after House Republicans voted minutes earlier to table a motion to raise the threshold for electing a speaker to 217 — a majority of the conference.

Scalise had an edge with moderate republicans and establishment GOP lawmakers while Jordan was a favorite of top members of the House Freedom Caucus, which Jordan used to chair.

What comes next after the votes are counted by hand is an expected House-wide vote for speaker. Democrats are expected to nominate Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries as their candidate.

That vote is unlikely to occur until 3pm ET at the earliest.

U.S. Capitol staff move boxes out of the Speaker of the House office, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023 at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Serkan Gurbuz)

In the House Republican Conference meeting, lawmakers have tabled a potential rules changes that would have increased the threshold for House Republicans to nominate a speaker.

The motion would have increased the threshold to nominate a speaker from a simple majority to 217 votes. But the members voted to table the motion, two sources tell Fox News Digital. The move will make it much more likely that Republicans will choose a candidate today.

They have not started voting on their nomination for speaker yet. The vote will be via secret ballot and there could be multiple rounds if neither nominee gets enough votes to secure the nomination on first try.

Reps. Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise are the candidates to take the gavel.

“I'm looking forward to going in there, obviously we have a very important vote,” Scalise said ahead of the vote.

Meanwhile, a Jordan spokesperson told Fox Digital that Jordan is "confident" ahead of the vote.

Fox News' Liz Elkind, Tyler Olson and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

In the House Republican Conference meeting, lawmakers voted on a motion to table a rules changes that would increase the threshold for House Republicans to nominate a speaker.

The motion would increase the threshold to 217 votes. But the members are voting on a motion to table the change, and the votes are currently being counted.

They have not started voting on their nomination for speaker yet.

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., talks to reporters as House Republicans hold a closed-door forum to hear from the candidates for speaker of the House, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023.(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy dismissed the idea that other members will nominate him during the House GOP speaker election as he walked into the meeting this morning. 

"No, I asked them not to nominate me," he said.

McCarthy was ousted from the speakership last week. Reps. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio and Steve Scalise, R-La., are in the running to replace him.

The House Republican Conference is currently meeting to decide on its nominee to take the gavel.

Fox News' Tyler Olson contributed to this report.

U.S. House Republican Whip Steve Scalise speaks at a press conference following a Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol on June 08, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Both Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, have entered the closed-door conference meeting where House Republicans will pick their next candidate for speaker Wednesday.

Scalise briefly spoke to reporters on the way into the meeting, vowing to put a resolution supporting Israel on the House floor as soon as possible if he is elected. 

“I'm looking forward to going in there, obviously we have a very important vote,” Scalise said. “It's really, really important that this Congress get back to work, we select a speaker, go to the House floor, get to 218 and then get the House working again.”

“The first order of business under Speaker Steve Scalise is bringing strong resolution expressing support for Israel. We've got a very bipartisan bill," he said.

Scalise ignored questions on how long he thought it would take for House Republicans to coalesce around a new leader.

Rep. Bob Good speaks to reporters before a House Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol October 3, 2023, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Republican Rep. Bob Good of Virginia, one of eight House Republicans who voted to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., last week, told reporters on Wednesday morning that he is supporting Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, for the top job.

Good made the comments on the way into a closed-door meeting where Republicans are electing their next speaker of the House.

The Virginia Republican is one of several members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus to come out in support of Jordan, one of the group’s founders.

Jordan currently has more public endorsements than Majority Leader Steve Scalise , but that’s by no means a bellwether — roughly two-thirds of the conference has not yet said who they are voting for for speaker.

Another key Jordan supporter is House Freedom Caucus policy chair Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas.

The earliest the House could vote for speaker would be at 3 p.m. today.

The House Republican Conference meeting is underway, Fox News Digital is told.

The conference is meeting in the usual hearing room for the Ways & Means Committee, and are holding its internal election to select the nominee for speaker of the House. The vote will be held by secret vote.

It is possible in this meeting the conference could also vote on internal rules changes ahead of a speaker vote.

Fox News' Tyler Olson contributed to this report.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise speaks to reporters outside a candidate forum with House Republicans. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., is opposing a House GOP conference rule change that would raise the threshold needed to elect a nominee for speaker, Fox News Digital has learned.

House Republicans are expected to vote on the amendment behind closed doors this morning ahead of a secret ballot to pick their candidate to put up for a House-wide speaker vote.

The amendment would raise the threshold needed to select a speaker to 217, a House-wide majority. Currently it takes a simple majority of the conference.

It’s widely seen as a potential proxy battle between Scalise allies and those of his rival for speaker, Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.

A Jordan spokesperson told Fox News Digital the Judiciary chairman is "confident" ahead of a vote this morning.

Scalise also expressed his confidence about his chances this morning to "Fox & Friends."

Rep. Jim Jordan and Rep. Steve Scalise are vying for the nomination. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The House Republican Conference is about to meet at 10 a.m. for its internal election to select its nominee for speaker of the House.

The two candidates for speaker in the conference are Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan.

The vote comes after eight Republicans and all Democrats voted to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., last week. They will meet in 1100 Longworth, which is the usual hearing room for the Ways & Means Committee. 

It is possible that the conference could also vote on internal rules changes ahead of a speaker vote, including voting to raise the threshold for the internal speaker nominee from a simple majority of Republicans to a number high enough to win a speaker election on the House floor with a majority of the chamber. Currently, that number is 217. 

The internal conference vote will be via secret ballot. There may be multiple rounds if neither nominee gets enough votes to secure the nomination on the first try. 

The earliest the House could vote for speaker would be at 3 p.m. today.

Republicans are hoping to lock up enough votes to ensure their speaker candidate wins on the first ballot of the full House before going to the floor. That means if Republicans don’t have nearly unanimous support for their nominee, the full House vote could be pushed. 

Rep. Jim Jordan is running to be the next speaker of the House. Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan is "confident" ahead of a vote this morning that could determine the Republican candidate to become the next speaker of the House.

“We’re confident. Momentum is on our side," a Jordan spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

The House Republican Conference meets at 10am this morning to select its nominee for speaker of the House.

The two candidates are Jordan and Majority Leader Steve Scalise -- who has also expressed his confidence about his chances this morning, and says he believes he will secure the votes to become speaker today.

Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan are running for speaker. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

House Republicans are gathering behind closed doors on Wednesday morning to select their candidate for speaker after ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster last week. 

GOP lawmakers are expected to hold their inter-party election at 10 a.m. after getting briefed on the unfolding crisis in Israel – which adds a sense of urgency as lawmakers scramble to restore order in Congress.

"I don't know if by the end of this week we will have a speaker. If you were to ask me a couple days ago, pre-Israel being horrifically attacked by Hamas, I would have told you that it would have been a month before we had a speaker," Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., told reporters after a closed-door GOP meeting on Tuesday night. 

The two candidates formally in the race are Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. 

Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., was doubtful a candidate will be chosen by the end of the day.

"I think there's some [lawmakers] that have some problems with past behavior and each other, and so I think it's going to take more than one day to get this done," Murphy told Fox News Digital.

Another factor in the mix is an expected rules vote ahead of the vote on whether to raise the threshold for choosing a speaker within the GOP conference. Under the current rules, a speaker nominee is chosen by a simple majority vote of the party.

But more than 100 lawmakers have signed onto a letter calling for that threshold to be 217 — a majority of the House overall.

Majority Leader Steve Scalise says he has the momentum in the race to become the next speaker of the House, and says it is important for the House to return to work as soon as possible.

Scalise, speaking on "Fox & Friends," cited issues facing the country including the ongoing border crisis and the terror attacks on Israel as areas in which the House needed to be able to focus its attention.

He said the world was still moving as the House was without a speaker and the chamber has a lot of work to do.

"I want that work to start today," he said.

As for the speaker race itself, Scalise expressed confidence in his ability to get the votes to secure the gavel.

"Our momentum has been growing. I feel we have the votes to do it, and not only to do it, but to do it today, to go to the House floor, get 218 votes and then get back to work for the people who elected us. Lets go get back to work and let’s do it today," he said.

Long-simmering frustrations with GOP leadership, and ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in particular, led to his historic ouster last week by eight Republican hardliners and every House Democrat.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who filed the motion to vacate against McCarthy, publicly accused the California Republican of going back on an agreement struck in January to win the gavel in the first place.

But McCarthy suggested Gaetz’s anger was “personal,” alluding to it having a connection to an ongoing ethics investigation into the Florida lawmaker.

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., who also voted to oust McCarthy, told Fox & Friends last week that he did not feel heard by the then-leader or GOP leadership in general.

“I asked him about the six weeks off. I asked him about why we didn't have a term limits bill up and continued on down the line. And it was always not his fault, you know? Leadership has responsibilities. The buck stops somewhere. And in the House of Representatives, it's stopped… at the Speaker's office,” Burchett said.

The Republican-majority House will on Wednesday elect a nominee for the next speaker, deciding who they want to take over the crucial role of leading the chamber.

That person will take over from Rep. Patrick McHenry, who is currently serving as speaker pro tempore – unless McHenry is himself chosen.

The last elected speaker was Rep. Kevin McCarthy, who served in the role relatively briefly since January.

He in turn succeeded Rep. Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat who served between 2007 and 2011, and again between 2019 and January this year. She is widely seen as one of the most effective speakers in House history.

Between her terms served Rep. John Bohner (from  2011 to 2015) and Paul Ryan (speaker from 2015 to 2019). Both men are Republicans.

Some of the more famous speakers in the last century include Rep. Tip O Neill – a Democrat who served between 1977 and 1987 – and Rep. Newt Gingrich, a Republican who served between 1995 and 1999. Gingrich was the first Republican speaker since Rep. Joseph Martin served in 1955.

It is unlikely that now-former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., will return to the gavel after his historic ousting last week.

McCarthy said that he was taking his name out of the running since his ousting, meaning that he will likely stand by and pass the torch to the next speaker.

Members have largely thrown their hat behind either House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., or Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the two declared candidates to take the top role in the House.

But that doesn’t mean one should count McCarthy out.

McCarthy has signaled that he would be open to rejoining House GOP leadership, should the conference ask him.

“Look, the conference has to make that decision," McCarthy told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Monday morning when asked if he would consider picking the gavel back up. "I’m still a member. I’m going to continue to fight and act. I know what it means to have a strong America and a strong relationship with Israel."

"This is a time for strength. This is a time to stand together… this is a time for Congress to speak as one voice," he said.

When pressed again on whether he would cast himself for the job again, McCarthy said, "Look, whatever the conference wants, I will do."

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed reporting.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted as House speaker last week after a group of eight Republican lawmakers joined House Democrats.

Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., introduced a measure against McCarthy known as a motion to vacate, accusing him of breaking promises he made to win the speaker's gavel in January.

GOP Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona; Ken Buck of Colorado; Tim Burchett of Tennessee; Eli Crane of Arizona; Bob Good of Virginia; Nancy Mace of South Carolina; and Matt Rosendale of Montana joined Gaetz and House Democrats in accepting the motion to vacate. 

McCarthy is the first speaker of the House to be ousted from his post in the history of the House of Representatives.

A pertinent question on lawmakers’ minds amid the fight for now-former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s replacement is what to do with the mutiny leader, Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz.

A pertinent question on lawmakers’ minds amid the fight for now-former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s replacement is what to do with the mutiny leader, Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz.

Gaetz led the charge to oust McCarthy via a motion to vacate, being joined by seven other Republican rebels as well as the Democrats in the chamber to give the speaker the boot.

McCarthy allies have demanded Gaetz’s head on a spike for his role in the ouster, with several Republicans preparing a resolution of expulsion should the House Ethics Committee investigation into the congressman come back with a guilty finding.

The House Ethics Committee has been investigating Gaetz since 2021 on allegations, including campaign finance violations as well as claims of taking bribes and using drugs – accusations the congressman has vehemently denied. Gaetz also denies allegations leaked from a Justice Department sex trafficking probe said to have involved an underage girl.

However, expelling Gaetz will be an unlikely outcome due to the House’s rule for a two-thirds vote to remove a member from the body.

Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace, Jacqui Heinrich, and Chad Pergram contributed reporting.

Now-former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., had a rough week last week when he became the first speaker in U.S. history to be removed from the role.

The news was a shock to Congress' system, bringing the lower chamber to a halt as politicians gave their takes on the historic ouster.

Reactions were mixed at the exit of McCarthy depending on the side of the situation a lawmaker was on — allies to the former speaker were furious at the ousting while those supportive or involved in the removal were ecstatic, such as GOP Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, at the eviction.

Still, the removal spurred 45 House Republicans to sign onto a dear colleague letter lambasting the move as shameful and embarrassing for the conference.

"The injustice we all witnessed cannot go unaddressed — lest we bear responsibility for the consequences that follow. Our Conference must address fundamental changes to the structure of our majority to ensure success for the American people," 45 House GOP lawmakers said in a letter to colleagues on Thursday.

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed reporting.

The speaker of the House of Representatives is a critical role in American politics, being the leader of the lower chamber of Congress and also second in the presidential line of succession after the vice president.

The speaker of the House of Representatives is a critical role in American politics, being the leader of the lower chamber of Congress and also second in the presidential line of succession after the vice president.

Before the full House votes for a speaker, Republicans and Democrats typically agree on a nominee for the position. 

To elect a speaker, the House convenes on the floor and begins nominations. After candidates are nominated, the House votes by roll call, with the clerk calling each member by name. To vote, representatives must say the name of the candidate they support for the speakership.

The speaker must secure a majority of votes on the House floor, but it doesn’t have to be a majority of all elected members of Congress — just the majority of those voting at that time. If every elected member of the House votes, a speaker will need 218 to win. But if some members don’t vote due to absence from the floor or because they vote “present”, the number of votes needed to win decreases.

Two top House Republicans have formally cast themselves into the race for speaker, and so far, it appears that one of them will be the likely winner after the GOP’s closed-door candidate election.

Two top House Republicans have formally cast themselves into the race for speaker, and so far, it appears that one of them will be the likely winner after the GOP’s closed-door candidate election.

Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., McCarthy’s longtime No. 2, and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, are the two main contenders this morning.

Scalise has scored support from another member of House leadership, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., and is expected to be a favorite of moderates and mainstream Republicans.

Jordan, however, is popular among conservatives and other GOP hardliners, as one of the founding members of the House Freedom Caucus. He has also been endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

While Jordan narrowly leads Scalise in public endorsements, it’s worth noting that roughly two-thirds of the GOP conference has remained silent on their support.

Fox News' Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted as House speaker last week after a group of eight Republican lawmakers joined House Democrats.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was ousted as House speaker last week after a group of eight Republican lawmakers joined House Democrats.

Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., introduced a measure against McCarthy known as a motion to vacate, accusing him of breaking promises he made to win the speaker's gavel in January.

GOP Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona; Ken Buck of Colorado; Tim Burchett of Tennessee; Eli Crane of Arizona; Bob Good of Virginia; Nancy Mace of South Carolina; and Matt Rosendale of Montana joined Gaetz and House Democrats in accepting the motion to vacate. 

McCarthy is the first speaker of the House to be ousted from his post in the history of the House of Representatives.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives does not have to be a member of Congress.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives does not have to be a member of Congress. 

But no one, as of 2023, has ever served as House speaker without being an elected member of the House of Representatives. 

Last week, after Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s ouster, a group of Republican lawmakers began floating the idea of former President Trump serving as House speaker. 

Trump told Fox News Digital he would be open to accepting the post for a short period of time, saying he would only do so to unify the party. He stressed that he is focused on his 2024 presidential campaign. 

But House Republican Conference Rules states that “a member of the Republican Leadership shall step aside if indicted for a felony for which a sentence of two or more years imprisonment may be imposed.” 

Trump has been indicted four times this year — out of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation; Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation; and Fulton County, Ga. District Attorney Fani Willis’ investigation. 

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges across all jurisdictions.