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Earlier today John Boehner announced he will step down as Speaker of the House on October 20th. He has served as speaker for 4 years. His tenure has been rocky.“This turmoil that’s been churning now for the last couple months is not good for the members, and it’s not good for the institution,” he said.“Listen, it was never about the vote, all right? There was never any doubt about whether I could survive the vote. But I don’t want my members to have to go through this and I certainly don’t want the institution to go through this,” speaking of a possible vote against him as speaker which some in the GOP had pressed for.
With his departure comes a new leadership struggle. The GOP caucus in the house is considered to be very divided and the race for the speakership could be quite complicated. For those who thought Boehner appeased Obama and Democrats too much, they are looking for stronger leadership to replace Boehner.
Right now, several members of the house are being considered. Some have already said they are not running including Representatives Raul Labrador, Mark Meadows, Paul Ryan and Trey Gowdy. Here is a list of the top 5 candidates for the speakership:
1. Kevin McCarthy of California, who is the current House Majority leader is considered the top person for the job. He was elected House Majority leader after Eric Cantor lost the primary in his district last year. He is considered the candidate with the highest chances of winning.
2. Jeb Hensarling, of Texas, is the chairman of the Financial Services Committee. In the past, Hensarling had said he didn't want the job, but it is likely he will run with the support of the Texas republican bloc.
3. Tom Price of Georgia, is the current chairman of the Budget Committee. The Georgia Republican is a member of the Tea Party Caucus, one of the groups that wanted Boehner gone. He's also seen as a good negotiator and moderator and that might help bridge the gaps in the GOP.
4. Steve Scalise of South Carolina, House majority whip, is also running for the Speaker's post. Scalise is widely respected in Congress but will have to continue to explain the 2014 revelations that he spoke to members of a white supremacy group in 2002.
5. Jim Jordan of Ohio, is the chair of the House Freedom Caucus, the group that previously attempted to oust the Speaker. He could make a run for the spot and his past as a former Republican Study Committee chairman would be appealing to some lawmakers.
