Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) recently announced his bid for speaker of the House after Republicans decided to remove Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) as their speaker-designee following three unsuccessful floor votes for the Ohio lawmaker.
A spokesperson for Donalds confirmed the Florida congressman’s intention to The Hill. Donalds is one of the many House Republicans who have announced their bids for speaker following a closed-door ballot vote to remove Jordan as the party’s nominee.
The spokesperson’s comments were later confirmed by Donalds himself, who announced his run for House speaker on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Washington Examiner reported.
“Tonight, I am announcing my candidacy for speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. My sole focus will be securing our border, funding our government responsibly, advancing a conservative vision for the House of Representatives and the American people, and expanding our Republican majority,” Donalds announced on X.
“As a member of this conference, I’ve seen firsthand the devotion of my colleagues to improving the lives of their constituents and the future of America,” he added.
“We come from different walks of life but share the common pursuit of a more perfect union,” he added. “As speaker, every voice in our conference will have a seat at the table to ensure our unity and consensus on the legislative battles we face,” he continued.
Tonight, I am announcing my candidacy for Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. pic.twitter.com/1wSwQYqoX2
— Congressman Byron Donalds (@RepDonaldsPress) October 20, 2023
Alongside Donalds, Reps. Tom Emmer (R-MI), Steve Womack (R-AR), Mark Green (R-TN), Jodey Arrington (R-TX), Kevin Hern (R-OK) and Mike Johnson (R-LA) have all announced or expressed interest in running for House speaker, according to The Hill.
Jordan was ousted as speaker-designee after House Republicans conducted a secret ballot vote, voting 112-86 to remove the Ohio congressman.
The move comes after three House floor votes were conducted on Jordan’s nomination for House speaker. The Ohio congressman was unable to garner the 217 votes needed, with 25 Republicans voting against him in the third round.
On Oct. 23, 2023, the Republican Conference in the House is scheduled to hold a candidate forum at 6:30 p.m., where a new speaker-designate will be voted on. Candidates hoping to become their party’s nominee must submit their names by noon on Oct. 22, 2023, as reported by the Post Millennial.
