72 hours since Speaker Boehner’s surprise resignation announcement and the replacement field is beginning to take shape. Some who took the weekend to mull a gavel run and test support announced their decisions Monday.
Here’s what we know as of now:
Shocking no one, Majority Leader Rep. McCarthy is definitely in the race:
Paul Ryan endorses Tom Price over Steve Scalise for Majority Leader:
All the shuffling will likely leave openings in more than the Speaker’s chair. If McCarthy’s spot is vacated, a new Majority Leader will be selected. Tom Price announced he’s running for that spot and now has the endorsement of Paul Ryan. From Politico:
House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan is throwing his weight behind Rep. Tom Price for majority leader, a significant boost for the Georgia Republican, and a blow to Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and others who are vying for the spot.Price is quickly gathering a good deal of conservative support for his bid for the No. 2 House GOP leadership slot. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) also endorsed Price Monday.“Tom Price is a committed conservative and a good friend,” Ryan said in a statement. “He and I have served for years together on the Budget and Ways and Means Committees, working to pay down our debt, fix our tax code, and grow our economy. Tom has a proven record of advancing conservative solutions and principles. He has the knowledge and skills needed to be an effective Majority Leader, and I’m proud to support him.”Price is facing Scalise (R-La.), the House majority whip, and House Republican Conference Chairman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) for the second-ranking position in GOP leadership. Ryan endorsed Price in his 2014 race for conference chair, which he lost to McMorris Rodgers.
Hensarling Out:
Last week, Rep. Hensarling indicated he would announce his decision early this week. Today the Texas Chairman of the Financial Services Committee said he will not seek the speakership. Like Ryan, Hensarling is backing Price for the No. 2 leadership spot. The Hill reports:
Hensarling will pass on a bid for both Speaker and majority leader following Ohio Republican John Boehner’s surprise announcement Friday that he would relinquish the Speaker’s gavel and step down from Congress on Oct. 30.He will instead back a fellow conservative, Budget Chairman Tom Price (R-Ga.) in the race for majority leader, the No. 2 job, according to a senior GOP lawmaker who received a call from Hensarling over the weekend.A Hensarling spokeswoman had no comment. But Hensarling passed on a leadership bid as recently as last year, ultimately deciding not to challenge Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in the race for the No. 2 job after then-Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) was ousted from office in his GOP primary.
Also not running:
Gowdy, Issa, Jordan, Gohmert, Labrador, and Meadows.
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