An early look at possible successors to McCarthy for House speaker

Following Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster as House speaker, names have started to emerge as possible successors to take over the gavel.

With McCarthy announcing Tuesday night he will not be running for the speakership, the race is already underway.

There is no clear alternative to McCarthy who would have the support needed to win – any speaker hopefuls will need to find 218 votes, or the majority of lawmakers present and voting.

Some of the names being floated for the open role also emerged in January as hardline conservatives looked to block McCarthy from taking the gavel after the GOP won the House. While McCarthy ultimately won the fight, Tuesday’s ouster offers the opportunity for fresh consideration of candidates.

Here’s a look at his potential replacements:

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer is one of the lawmakers to watch as GOP lawmakers scramble to elect a new speaker, with some members floating the Minnesota Republican as a top contender for the job.

Emmer, however, appeared to signal support for Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise on Tuesday night. As he exited a GOP meeting, he told reporters, “Steve Scalise has been a friend for a long time. He would be a great speaker.” Asked if he would nominate Scalise for speaker, Emmer said, “I think I made it clear.”

The Minnesota lawmaker was first elected to Congress in 2014 and became majority whip earlier this year. Emmer, who lost a race for Minnesota governor in 2010, was a state representative from 2004-2008. He sits on the House Financial Services Committee.

Oklahoma Republican Rep. Kevin Hern, who chairs a conservative group known as the Republican Study Committee, is taking a run for speaker “very seriously,” a source familiar said, adding that multiple members have approached him.

Republicans hardliners in the House Freedom…