It's official: House Speaker John Boehner has multiple challengers gunning for his job.
Texas Republican Louie Gohmert announced Sunday morning on Fox News' "Fox and Friends" that he would throw his hat into the ring, saying he's officially a candidate for the speaker gig.
Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, arrives for a meeting with at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013. Gohmert announced Sunday he's gunning for Speaker of the House. (Credit: AP)
Gohmert's announcement comes as Boehner's approval from conservative voters sags.
Gohmert's office also sent a statement to TheBlaze on the announcement, in which Gohmert said that his bid — or other Republicans' bids — for the speaker position don't create a serious risk that Democrats could slip in a victorious candidate.
Read the full statement below:
After the November elections gave Republicans control of the Senate, voters made clear they wanted change. There have been numerous examples of problematic Republican leadership, but we were hopeful our leaders got the voters’ message. However, after our Speaker forced through the CRomnibus by passing it with Democratic votes and without time to read it, it seemed clear that we needed new leadership. There had been much discussion. But, until yesterday, no one had stepped up.I applaud my friend Rep. Ted Yoho for putting his name forward as an alternative to the status quo. Ted is a good man for whom I could vote, but I have heard from many supporters and also friends in Congress who have urged me to put forward my name for Speaker as well to increase our chances of change. That is why I am also offering my name as a candidate for Speaker.
There is false information being floated that any Republican candidates in addition to the current Speaker will split the vote and give the Speaker's gavel to Congresswoman Pelosi. This is nothing but a scare tactic to keep the current regime in power.
As long as Republicans vote for an adult American citizen for Speaker, no Democrat can win. Only if 59 Republicans voted “Present” would there be a chance for a Democrat to win.
To win the Speaker’s race, an adult American citizen has to get a clear majority of all Members of Congress on the House floor voting for an eligible person. Voting “Present” simply reduces the number of votes required to win a majority. If no one wins a majority on the first ballot, then we go to a second vote, then a third, until someone gets a majority.
At this point, the Speaker’s election is not about a particular candidate. It is about whether we keep the status quo or make the change the country demands. I am putting forward my name for consideration as Speaker and hope that with a new Speaker, be that me or someone else, we can fight for the ideals and principles that the voters wanted when they elected us in November.
In TheBlaze's Saturday poll on who should be the House Speaker, Gohmert snagged 16 percent of the vote, putting him firmly at No. 2 on the seven-person list.
TheBlaze readers' favorite pick among the options provided: South Carolina Republican Trey Gowdy, whose nearly 10,000 votes gave him 70 percent of the poll participants.
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