Unprecedented Power Struggle Grips House as Jordan's Exit Sets Stage for Uncertain Speakership Battle

The high-stakes battle for the speakership shows no signs of resolution as House Republicans removed Kevin McCarthy over two weeks ago.

With Rep. Jim Jordan withdrawing from the race on Friday, the search for a new GOP speaker nominee is underway, resulting in a crowded field of candidates.

As Republicans continue to grapple with finding a solution to the impasse, frustrations and divisions within the conference have reached new heights. The party's slim majority and lack of consensus have further muddled the prospects of any candidate securing the necessary 217 votes to become the House speaker.

In the meantime, the House is caught in a state of inertia, as Republicans face challenges in uniting behind a potential speaker candidate. This deadlock has effectively halted progress in the chamber, all while the looming threat of a government shutdown and ongoing conflicts overseas add to the urgency of the situation.

House Republicans plan to organize a candidate forum on Monday evening, where additional candidates are anticipated to enter the race beforehand.

The confrontation surrounding the speakership initiated at the beginning of this month, when a group of staunch conservatives voted to oust McCarthy, resulting in an unprecedented situation for the House. Subsequently, after McCarthy's removal, the speakership nomination of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise faced an abrupt failure as the conference was unable to reach a consensus on his candidacy.

After failing to secure the gavel for the third time in a floor vote on Friday, Jordan was forcefully removed from the race by the Republicans. His performance in this vote was even poorer than in his previous unsuccessful attempts.

Now, there are several candidates competing for the position of the next GOP speaker nominee.

According to two sources, Rep. Tom Emmer, currently serving as majority whip, is reaching out to express his intention to run for the speaker position. CNN sources indicate that Rep. McCarthy is supporting Emmer's bid, providing an early endorsement for his candidacy.

In a statement to CNN on Friday, Rep. Kevin Hern confirmed his plans to run for speaker. When questioned about his strategy to secure the necessary 217 votes, Hern stated that he will work diligently to gain support from others.

CNN has been informed by the spokesman of Rep. Jack Bergman that he is vying for the position of speaker. Similarly, Rep. Austin Scott, who initially contested against Jordan but withdrew shortly and later endorsed Jordan, has now revealed to CNN that he is once again running for the speaker role as the competition has expanded.

CNNs Manu Raju, Haley Talbot, Sam Fossum, Morgan Rimmer, Mel Zanona and Annie Grayer contributed.