If not Kevin McCarthy then who? Other possible candidates for US House speaker

Republican infighting has made the 2023 speakership race the first in a century to require multiple rounds of voting

Here are seven potential candidates if Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy fails to win the post of US House speaker

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House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy failed again to win election to speaker on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:01pm, 5 Jan 2023

With Kevin McCarthy repeatedly failing to win his bid for US House speaker, even some of his Republican allies are looking for a possible successor.

The most obvious contenders have disclaimed interest, but that didn’t stop former Speaker Paul Ryan, who didn’t want the job either at first. In 2015, Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, ultimately took the post after McCarthy withdrew his candidacy under pressure from conservatives.

A handful of House Republicans are in position to step in should McCarthy throw in the towel this time around.

Here’s a look at some potential fallback candidates for speaker.

Congressman Steve Scalise

The No 2 House Republican is a supporter of McCarthy who could get support from moderates in the caucus, while also appealing to hardline conservatives. However some moderate Republicans have suggested there would be no point in tossing McCarthy only to nominate someone so ideologically similar to him. For his part, Scalise, of Louisiana, has said that he supports McCarthy and has repeatedly voted for him.

Congressman Jim Jordan

The Ohio congressman is leader of the House Freedom Caucus, a group of the most hardline House conservatives. Jordan has repeatedly supported McCarthy in speaker votes, but all 20 holdouts voted for him on Tuesday.