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House Republicans are meeting privately Wednesday to elect their leaders for the next Congress.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), and NRCC Chair Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) are all seeking to retain their positions, with no challengers.
On Wednesday morning, the four House GOP leaders will still need to present themselves to the Republican Conference, with elections expected this afternoon. However, the No. 5 and No. 6 leadership spots are contested, with Reps. Erin Houchin (R-Ind.), Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), and Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) are running for GOP conference chair. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) is not seeking the position again, as she has been appointed U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in Trump’s new administration.
The conference chair oversees messaging and organizes conference-wide meetings. Two Republicans are also competing for House GOP policy committee chair: Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), current Republican Study Committee Chair, is challenging the incumbent, Gary Palmer (R-Ala.). Hern, term-limited as head of the GOP’s conservative think tank, has been actively campaigning for the role.
Even if Wednesday’s elections go smoothly, Speaker Johnson must win over hard-line Republican skeptics before the full House speaker vote in January. The speaker election requires a majority in the House, and with Republicans likely holding a slim majority, Johnson has little room for dissent. He’ll aim to avoid a prolonged vote like the 15-round speaker election that former Speaker Kevin McCarthy faced in early 2022.
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