GOP Rep. Kevin Hern Drops Out Of Speaker Race

Bloomberg reports:

The speaker election took on new urgency this weekend after Hamas militants attacked Israel, killing at least 600 people and prompting calls for more US assistance. Without a speaker, the House cannot conduct legislative business even with bipartisan support for Israel in the chamber.

The contenders for House speaker were reduced to two over the weekend after Oklahoma Representative Kevin Hern said he wouldn’t join the contest, saying a three-way race would only drag out the process. “House Republicans must unify — and do it fast,” he said in a letter to colleagues.

That leaves Jim Jordan of Ohio and Steve Scalise of Louisiana as the only declared contenders. Jordan is the House Judicary Committee Chairman who has the support of former President Donald Trump, while Scalise is a top McCarthy lieutenant and House majority leader.

Read the full article. The House Republican conference is scheduled to hold a secret ballot for speaker on Wednesday, after which the full House will vote.

House Republicans predicted they will have a new speaker in place by mid-week, with the election taking on new urgency after Hamas militants attacked Israel https://t.co/lnXKPS8xOH

— Bloomberg (@business) October 8, 2023