Topline
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) said on Saturday he will not run for House speaker despite speculation—and after the Oklahoma Republican received calls from colleagues following California Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster last week—leaving only Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) in the contentious speaker race.
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) decided against a House speaker run.
Key Facts
Hern, a third-term representative, released a statement Saturday morning arguing a potential three-way race for speaker would have created “even more division and [made] it harder to elect a Speaker.”
Hern argued a divided House majority “will result in an even more fractured country,” calling on House GOP members to unify and “do it fast.”
Scalise launched his speaker bid on Wednesday, one day after McCarthy’s removal and just hours after Jordan—an outspoken supporter of former President Donald Trump known for dogged and often unsuccessful investigations into Democratic opponents—threw his hat in the ring for the speakership.
Contra
Fox News canceled its proposed speaker debate on Friday just hours after the right-wing network announced it after Hern, Scalise and Jordan all declined invitations to participate. Republican lawmakers had pushed back against the idea of a debate, with Hern arguing the selection of McCarthy’s replacement should be akin to a “family discussion” instead of a debate on TV.
Key Background
The House voted 216-210 on Tuesday, with eight far-right Republicans joining all Democrats present for the vote, to oust McCarthy from his role as speaker, after members of the far-right House Freedom Caucus called the California Republican’s leadership into question following the House’s approval of a resolution to keep the federal government funded and avert a shutdown. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) led the push to remove McCarthy, arguing the former speaker failed to meet a set of agreements he made during his election to the speakership in January—an arduous 15-round voting process—to trim the federal budget.
Tangent
Following McCarthy’s removal from the speakership after less than nine months, the California Republican was speculated to consider resigning from the House altogether, ending his 17-year congressional career, though McCarthy denied those reports on Friday, adding he plans to run for another term next year.
Further Reading
Controversial Fox News Speaker Debate Canceled Following GOP Pushback (Forbes)
McCarthy Denies Reports He’s Considering Resigning From Congress After Being Fired From Speakership (Forbes)
Jim Jordan—Trump Ally, One Of Congress’s Most Conservative—Wants To Be Speaker. Here’s What You Need To Know About Him. (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/10/07/rep-hern-rules-out-house-speaker-bid-leaving-two-way-scalise-jordan-battle/