Who Are the Contenders for House Speaker & What's Their Stance on Ukraine Aid?
02:15 GMT 05.10.2023 (Updated: 02:22 GMT 05.10.2023)
© AP Photo / Mark Schiefelbein
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US Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was removed as House speaker on Tuesday after fellow Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) filed a motion to vacate the position. As McCarthy has announced he won't seek the speakership again, the question now becomes: who will replace him?
While it is still in the early stages, a few early front-runners have emerged as potential replacements. Who are they, what do they stand for and will they have any effect on Russia’s special military operation? Sputnik examines each of them.
Jim Jordan
Elected to the US House of Representatives in 2006, US Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) was the first Republican to throw his hat in the speakership ring. He is a founding member of the powerful House Freedom Caucus, which is largely credited with forcing former Speaker John Boehner to resign from the post and Congress in 2015.
Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, left, speaks during a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on Capitol Hill, Feb. 9, 2023, in Washington.
© AP Photo / Carolyn Kaster
As the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Jordan is already one of the most established figures in the lower congressional chamber. He was nominated by US Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) for the speaker position during McCarthy’s election, though he said at the time he had no interest in challenging McCarthy.
He has also taken several steps to endure himself among conservatives, including launching probes into two district attorneys who launched indictments against former US President Donald Trump, as well as the Justice Department over its investigation of the president's son, Hunter Biden.
Ukraine:
Jordan told US media after announcing his bid that he would not support continued funding for Ukraine. After his initial vote to approve the Ukrainian Lend-Lease Act of 2022, he has consistently voted against further aid, opposing the Ukraine supplemental appropriations bills in 2022 and 2023, and voting for amendments that stripped Ukraine funding from the National Defense Authorization Act.
“[Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky doesn’t get to define how America's tax dollars are spent, and that’s the fundamental question,” Jordan said in September.
Steve Scalise
The second Republican to officially declare their intention to seek the nomination was US Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), who also serves as the House majority leader. The number two Republican in the chamber, Scalise is a part of multiple conservative caucuses, including the House Pro-Life Caucus, the Republican Israel Caucus, the Republican Study Committee and the Second Amendment Task Force.
Scalise nearly saw his political career end in late December 2014 when it was revealed he gave a speech in 2002 to a group founded by KKK Grand Wizard David Duke; however, he managed to survive that controversy after issuing an apology in January 2015.
Two years later, in June 2017, Scalise was one of four people who sustained gunshot wounds after a gunman targeted members of the Republican baseball team at a practice field. Scalise had sustained serious injuries and was considered in critical condition in the aftermath. He wouldn't return to Congress until late September that year.
The Louisiana lawmaker more recently faced health issues. In August, he revealed he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and had begun chemotherapy. After announcing his bid, reporters asked him about his diagnosis, to which he replied that he “feels great.”
Scalise was name-checked by Gaetz as a potential candidate to serve as House speaker.
Ukraine:
One of the most staunch supporters of Ukraine, Scalise has voted in favor of every Ukrainian funding appropriation and against every attempt to limit funding to the country.
While the pro-Ukrainian Defending Democracy Together Group looked down at Jordan's opposition to Ukraine funding, the group's only complaint against Scalise appeared to be that he has not been vocal enough in his support.
Tom Emmer
As the House Majority Whip, US Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) was tasked with keeping the Republican party together and moving in lockstep, a job he appeared to fail at in recent months. Nevertheless, his name has been floated as a potential replacement for McCarthy.
Minnesota Representative Tom Emmer (Republican) at the America’s Global Leadership Forum
CC BY-SA 2.0 / Justin Cox Photography /
However, Emmer has not announced whether he will run for the speaker role, indicating to reporters on Wednesday that he would vote for Scalise if given the chance. Emmer was elected in 2014 and sits on the House Financial Services Committee.
Ukraine:
To date, Emmer has voted in favor of every Ukraine funding provision and against every provision intended to limit that funding.
In March 2022, he also encouraged companies in his district to donate ammunition to Ukraine. “I was proud to work [...] so that we can get Minnesota-made ammunition in the hands of Ukrainian forces,” Emmer said at the time.
Kevin Hern
US Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK), is the third Republican to announce he is running for speaker. A member of the House and Ways Committee and the Chair of the Republican Study Committee, his name was initially floated as a possibility by members of the House Freedom Caucus.
Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., speaks during a House Small Business Committee hearing on oversight of the Small Business Administration and Department of Treasury pandemic programs on Capitol Hill in Washington, July 17, 2020.
© Erin Scott
A former McDonald’s franchisee, Hern is a staunch conservative, holding many bellwether Republican views including on abortion, climate change, guns, same-sex marriage, and the corporate tax rate.
He also received some votes during McCarthy's election as House speaker.
Ukraine:
Hern is among the most vocal opponents of Ukraine aid in Congress. After voting for the initial funding bill and calling for more aid early on in the Ukraine conflict, he has since voted against continued funding.
Last week, he posted on X (formerly Twitter) that “we need peace in Ukraine NOW! Not war!” while touting his votes against additional funding.
On yesterday’s vote to send more money to Ukraine, I voted no AGAIN. This time, 116 of my colleagues voted with me.
— Congressman Kevin Hern (@repkevinhern) September 29, 2023
We need peace in Ukraine NOW! Not war! pic.twitter.com/FiUWV3JVH6
Byron Donalds
Only a two-term congressman, US Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) entered the national conversation in January when he received a peak of 20 votes during McCarthy’s lengthy 15-vote road to the speaker position.
U.S. Congressman Byron Donalds speaking with attendees at the 2021 Student Action Summit hosted by Turning Point USA at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida.
CC BY-SA 2.0 / Gage Skidmore /
Without any leadership positions within the Republican party, Donalds is undoubtedly a longshot for the position. Nevertheless, Gaetz and other so-called “hardline” Republicans have shown a lot of respect for him and is considered a quickly rising Republican star. He also did not publicly support the removal of McCarthy, possibly making him more palatable for traditional Republicans.
It's worth noting that much would have to go wrong in the coming days for Republicans to back such an inexperienced lawmaker as speaker, but his growing popularity suggests he should not be counted out.
He previously said he may consider a run for governor of Florida in 2026, when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will be forced to leave office due to term limits.
Ukraine:
Like Hern, Byron voted for the initial funding package for Ukraine, but has since voted against every major funding bill. Despite his short time in office, he has emphatically opposed party leadership on the Ukraine issue, arguing that money is better spent on domestic matters.
“The American people are sick and tired of their needs being neglected, while we take care of the rest of the world,” Donalds said in September. “And that’s one of the reasons why you have members who have issues with Ukraine funding.”
Donald Trump
Although former US President Donald Trump is currently embroiled in various legal issues while also serving as the Republican presidential front-runner for the 2024 election, his name is still being thrown around as a potential contender.
Trump is also, notably, not a member of the House; however, that doesn't necessarily prevent him from being considered a valid option. In fact, House rules do not require the speaker be a member of Congress.
Former US President and Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump on September 15, 2023.
© AFP 2023 / ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS
On the other hand, the former president's multitude of federal indictments do make him ineligible under House Rule 26, but the GOP could change that rule if most of them vote to do so.
While Trump's legal issues and presidential campaign likely mean he would be too busy to serve in the role, he has not ruled out the possibility. “If I can help them during the process, I would do that. But we have some great people in the Republican Party that can do a great job as speaker,” he told reporters earlier.
Several Republicans have already said they would support his nomination, including Reps. Majorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), Greg Steube (R-FL) and Troy Nehls (R-TX).
Ukraine:
Trump has been a vocal critic of current President Joe Biden’s handling of the Ukraine situation and said he would end the conflict as soon as he returned to office.
“I would tell Zelensky, no more. You got to make a deal. I would tell [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, if you don't make a deal, we're going to give him a lot. We're going to [give Ukraine] more than they ever got if we have to. I will have the deal done in one day. One day,” he told US media in July.
A timeline for when a vote for the next House speaker will be scheduled has not yet been set.
Congress has until November 17 to pass another funding bill to avoid a partial government shutdown. No progress is likely to come on that until after a new speaker is selected.
