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October 2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election

Updated: 5/20/2026, 8:04:46 PM Wikipedia source

On October 17, 2023, following the October 3 removal of Republican Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the House, members of the U . House of Representatives began the process of holding an intra-term election for speaker of the House. The election concluded on October 25, 2023 when Republican Mike Johnson of Louisiana was elected the 56th speaker of the House on the fourth ballot. In the 118th Congress, the House Republican Conference held the majority of seats. McCarthy had been elected speaker on January 7, 2023, after an unusual fifteen rounds of voting in the January speakership election. On October 3, a motion to vacate McCarthy's speakership passed by a vote of 216–210, with eight Republican representatives voting along with all Democrats to remove McCarthy. This was the first time in congressional history the House voted to remove an incumbent speaker during an active congressional legislative session. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, also a Republican, served as speaker pro tempore until a new speaker was elected. Hakeem Jeffries of New York was unanimously nominated for speaker by the House Democratic Caucus on October 10. Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana was nominated by the House Republican Conference on October 11, but he withdrew from the race the next day. Jim Jordan of Ohio was nominated on a second internal Republican conference vote on October 13. On October 20, after Jordan failed to be elected speaker in three separate votes, the House Republican Conference voted to remove him as the Republican Party's nominee for speaker. On October 24, the conference nominated Majority Whip Tom Emmer for speaker. Emmer withdrew his candidacy shortly after Republican former president Donald Trump voiced his opposition to it. Later on October 24, Louisiana representative and conference vice chair Mike Johnson was selected as the next nominee for the speakership. On October 25, Johnson was elected speaker, defeating Jeffries in a 220–209 vote. Unlike previous ballots, no Republicans defected, and every representative present voted for their party's nominee for Speaker.

Infobox

Candidate
Jim Jordan
Party
Republican
Leader's seat
Ohio 4th
First ballot
200 (46 %)
Final ballot
withdrawn

Tables

· Initial nominations › Republican nomination › Scalise nomination
Steve Scalise Y
Steve Scalise Y
Candidate
Steve Scalise Y
Votes
113
Percent
51 %
Jim Jordan
Jim Jordan
Candidate
Jim Jordan
Votes
99
Percent
45 %
Other candidates
Other candidates
Candidate
Other candidates
Votes
8
Percent
3 %
Present
Present
Candidate
Present
Votes
3
Percent
—N/a
Did not vote
Did not vote
Candidate
Did not vote
Votes
1
Percent
—N/a
Candidate
Votes
Percent
Steve Scalise Y
113
51 %
Jim Jordan
99
45 %
Other candidates
8
3 %
Present
3
—N/a
Did not vote
1
—N/a
· Initial nominations › Republican nomination › Jordan nomination
Jim Jordan Y
Jim Jordan Y
Candidate
Jim Jordan Y
Votes
124
Percent
58 %
Austin Scott
Austin Scott
Candidate
Austin Scott
Votes
81
Percent
38 %
Other candidates
Other candidates
Candidate
Other candidates
Votes
7
Percent
3 %
Present
Present
Candidate
Present
Votes
1
Percent
—N/a
Did not vote
Did not vote
Candidate
Did not vote
Votes
11
Percent
—N/a
Candidate
Votes
Percent
Jim Jordan Y
124
58 %
Austin Scott
81
38 %
Other candidates
7
3 %
Present
1
—N/a
Did not vote
11
—N/a
· Initial nominations › Republican nomination › Jordan nomination
Yes Y
Yes Y
Col 1
Yes Y
Votes
152
Percent
73 %
No
No
Col 1
No
Votes
55
Percent
26 %
Present
Present
Col 1
Present
Votes
1
Percent
—N/a
Did not vote
Did not vote
Col 1
Did not vote
Votes
16
Percent
—N/a
Votes
Percent
Yes Y
152
73 %
No
55
26 %
Present
1
—N/a
Did not vote
16
—N/a
October 2023 election for speaker · First set of floor votes for speaker
Votes
Votes
Party
Votes
Party
%
Candidate
Votes
District
%
1st ballot October 17
Votes
1st ballot October 17
%
Total votes
Total votes
Party
Total votes
Party
432
Candidate
100%
District
433
1st ballot October 17
100%
1st ballot October 17
429
2nd ballot October 18
100%
Absent
Absent
Party
Absent
Party
1
Candidate
—N/a
District
0
1st ballot October 17
—N/a
1st ballot October 17
4
2nd ballot October 18
—N/a
Vacant
Vacant
Party
Vacant
Party
2
Candidate
—N/a
District
2
1st ballot October 17
—N/a
1st ballot October 17
2
2nd ballot October 18
—N/a
Votes needed to win
Votes needed to win
Party
Votes needed to win
Party
217
Candidate
>50%
District
217
1st ballot October 17
>50%
1st ballot October 17
215
2nd ballot October 18
>50%
Party
Candidate
District
1st ballot October 17
2nd ballot October 18
3rd ballot October 20
Votes
%
Votes
%
Votes
%
Democratic
Hakeem Jeffries
NY 8
212
49 %
212
49 %
210
49 %
Republican
Jim Jordan
OH 4
200
46 %
199
46 %
194
45 %
Republican
Steve Scalise
LA 1
7
1 %
7
1 %
8
1 %
Republican
Patrick McHenry
NC 10
—N/a
6
1 %
Republican
Lee Zeldin
—N/a
3
0 %
3
0 %
4
0 %
Republican
Kevin McCarthy
CA 20
6
1 %
5
1 %
2
0 %
Republican
Byron Donalds
FL 19
—N/a
1
0 %
2
0 %
Republican
Tom Emmer
MN 6
1
0 %
1
0 %
1
0 %
Republican
Mike Garcia
CA 27
1
0 %
1
0 %
1
0 %
Republican
Bruce Westerman
AR 4
—N/a
1
0 %
1
0 %
Republican
John Boehner
—N/a
—N/a
1
0 %
—N/a
Republican
Kay Granger
TX 12
—N/a
1
0 %
—N/a
Republican
Candice Miller
—N/a
—N/a
1
0 %
—N/a
Republican
Tom Cole
OK 4
1
0 %
—N/a
Republican
Thomas Massie
KY 4
1
0 %
—N/a
Total votes
432
100%
433
100%
429
100%
Absent
1
—N/a
0
—N/a
4
—N/a
Vacant
2
—N/a
2
—N/a
2
—N/a
Votes needed to win
217
>50%
217
>50%
215
>50%
· Later Republican nominations
Remove Y
Remove Y
Col 1
Remove Y
Votes
112
Percent
56 %
Retain
Retain
Col 1
Retain
Votes
86
Percent
43 %
Present
Present
Col 1
Present
Votes
5
Percent
—N/a
Did not vote
Did not vote
Col 1
Did not vote
Votes
21
Percent
—N/a
Votes
Percent
Remove Y
112
56 %
Retain
86
43 %
Present
5
—N/a
Did not vote
21
—N/a

References

  1. Elected as Republican conference nominee after the third ballot.
  2. Removed as nominee after third ballot.
  3. Patrick McHenry (Republican) as speaker pro tempore.
  4. The three Republican territorial delegates were allowed to vote in the conference.
  5. Former member of the House.
  6. Kevin McCarthy received 33 votes; Jim Jordan received 1 vote.
  7. Kevin McCarthy received 43 votes; Jim Jordan received 1 vote.
  8. Unverified number; calculated.
  9. Bilirakis missed the first ballot to attend the funeral of his mother-in-law.
  10. Boyle missed the fourth ballot as he was en route back to DC after going home to be with his wife for her surgery.
  11. Correa missed the fourth ballot due to a family emergency.
  12. Gonzalez missed the third and fourth ballots due to a death in his family.
  13. Hunt missed the third ballot for undisclosed reasons.
  14. Payne missed the third ballot due to what was described as a "minor health issue". Payne died six months later.
  15. Van Orden missed the third and fourth ballots as he embarked on what he described as a "fact-finding mission" in Israel.
  16. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/10/03/us/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-news/kevin-mccarthy-speaker
  17. NBC News
    https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republicans-nominate-mike-johnson-house-speaker-latest-attempt-break-g-rcna122019
  18. CNN
    https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/house-speaker-vote-10-25-23/index.html
  19. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/02/us/politics/mccarthy-gaetz-house-speaker.html
  20. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/09/30/us/government-shutdown-news
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