What does the speaker of the House actually do?
Looking back on what the speaker actually does and how the role has changed dramatically over the years.
LEARN MOREPosted: 8:12 p.m. EDT Oct 22, 2023
Nine Republicans have now come forward to throw their names in the race for House speaker.
The pool includes a mix of some lesser-known Republicans and others that are more recognizable.
Those vying for the speakership are Jack Bergman, Byron Donalds, Tom Emmer, Kevin Hern, Mike Johnson, Dan Meuser, Gary Palmer, Austin Scott, and Pete Sessions.
The news comes after House Republicans voted to remove Jim Jordan as their nominee on Friday, when he lost a third vote.
On Tuesday, it will mark three weeks since the ousting of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Since then, the House has been unable to take any action on averting a government shutdown or on the war in Israel.
Former House Speaker McCarthy on Sunday called the GOP's inability to select a House speaker "chaos" and an embarrassment to Republicans.
"This is embarrassing for the Republican Party. It's embarrassing for the nation. And we need to look at one another and solve the problem," said McCarthy during an interview on "Meet the Press” Sunday.
McCarthy continued to praise Majority Whip Tom Emmer and urged his colleagues to elect him speaker.
“I don't need the title. I'm going to help in any way I can,” said McCarthy. "I'm supporting Tom Emmer... But I'm going to tell you, I'm still a member of Congress, and I'm going to lead in any capacity to protect America."
During a CNN interview on Sunday, former Republican lawmaker Liz Cheney tied the House speaker's chaos to former President Donald Trump.
She said the situation can be blamed on the divide Trump has created in the party, as a faction of Republicans continues to support what she calls Trump's "assault on democracy."
