House Democrats will meet next week to tap House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., as their pick to replace Rep. Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House, a Democratic aide confirmed to Spectrum News.

What You Need To Know

  • House Democrats will meet next week to tap House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., as their pick to replace Rep. Kevin McCarthy as House speaker, an aide confirmed to Spectrum News

  • In a letter to colleagues, House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., encouraged all members to be physically present next week for the speaker vote

  • Throughout the 15 rounds of voting to pick McCarthy as speaker in January, every present Democrat voted to pick Jeffries as speaker; Jeffries garnered more votes than McCarthy through the first 11 rounds of voting

  • On the Republican side, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, the chair of the Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Steve Scalise, the House Majority Leader, have both thrown their hats in the ring to succeed McCarthy as speaker

The conference is set to meet on Tuesday to cement the New York Democratic leader as their pick to lead the House after this week's vote to oust McCarthy.

In a letter to colleagues, House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., encouraged all members to be physically present next week for the speaker vote.

"The Republican Conference may hold their internal election as early as Wednesday morning," Clark wrote. "At the conclusion of the Republican Conference nomination election, the full House will conduct an election for Speaker by manual roll call vote."

Clark said that they do not have timing for the vote, which makes members' attendance in Washington starting Tuesday "vital to ensure that House Democrats are ready to vote for Leader Jeffries as soon as the election for Speaker begins."

"Each member of our Caucus must be physically present on the [House] Floor for next week's proceedings," Clark wrote. "Many of you have made tremendous sacrifices to continue to be in Washington, and these have not gone unnoticed. We understand that the uncertainty of this schedule is challenging."

Jeffries was unanimously elected to serve as the leader of House Democrats last year after then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stepped down following the 2022 midterms. Throughout the 15 rounds of voting to pick McCarthy as speaker in January, every present Democrat voted to pick Jeffries as speaker. Jeffries won more votes than McCarthy through the first 11 rounds of voting, but neither candidate garnered a majority of the chamber. 

Clark encouraged unity among the Democratic conference in the speaker vote, saying that "the country will be watching."

"The contrast between house democrats' principled unity and the House GOP's dysfunction and disarray has never been more stark," she wrote, adding: "Our unity in voting for Speaker Hakeem Jeffries will be a powerful demonstration of our commitment to democracy, equality, and justice, and to restoring integrity and good governance in the People's House."

On the Republican side, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, the chair of the Judiciary Committee, and Rep. Steve Scalise, the House Majority Leader, have both thrown their hats in the ring to succeed McCarthy as speaker. Both candidates have been racking up endorsements in recent days as they try to garner the 218 votes needed to win the speaker's gavel, though some members have backed a third choice: former President Donald Trump.

Some Republicans, like far-right Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Texas Rep. Troy Nehls and Florida Rep. Greg Steube, have backed Trump for speaker, but the former president has said he's focused on running for reelection – though he's not ruling it out either.

Trump, who shared an image of himself on his Truth Social platform wielding the speaker's gavel, wrote that he "will do whatever is necessary to help with the Speaker of the House selection process, short term, until the final selection of a GREAT REPUBLICAN SPEAKER is made - A Speaker who will help a new, but highly experienced President, ME, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!." 

There is nothing in the Constitution that says the speaker has to be a member of Congress, though the House Republican conference has a rule which says that someone under felony indictment cannot serve in party leadership. Trump faces 91 felonies in four separate criminal cases.

"The only candidate for Speaker I am currently supporting is President Donald J. Trump," Greene wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The former president, who is running for the White House again, is considering visiting the Capitol as Republicans meet to coalesce around a pick for speaker, sources familiar confirmed to The Associated Press.. News of Trump's possible visit was first reported by The Messenger.

Trump has not been on the Capitol grounds since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, when a mob of his supporters stormed the building to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden's win in the 2020 presidential election.