Who is running for Speaker of the House and what are their key issues?

The House of Representatives will soon elect a speaker to lead the chamber for the next two years under the incoming Republican administration.

The recent race for the top House post was marred by internal strife among the GOP, who have been unable to agree on a speaker candidate in recent years. After being removed as speaker by his Republican colleagues in October 2023, former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was eventually succeeded by Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., following a weeks-long election process.

Johnson is striving to maintain his seat in the upcoming Congress, but he has not yet received backing from all of his fellow Republicans. The upcoming 2025 vote is crucial as the House must choose a speaker and validate President-elect Donald Trump's election victory just days after.

When will the House speaker vote take place?

As per the Constitution, the House will hold a vote on Friday, January 3, 2025, at noon.

A speaker must be elected before the 119th Congress can be sworn in.

Who is running?

The House of Representatives is controlled by the Republican Party during the 119th Congress, giving them the power to select the speaker.

The current House Speaker, Mike Johnson, is seeking re-election as the head of the chamber. While no other candidates have announced their intention to run at this time, there have been discussions of potential alternatives in previous years on the day of the vote.

How many votes does a candidate need to win?

Currently, the Republicans have a small advantage in the chamber with 219 seats, while the Democrats have 215.

The GOP majority is expected to decrease further when two of Trump's Cabinet nominees, Reps. Mike Waltz and Elise Stefanik, are confirmed by the Senate, which is expected to occur several weeks after the speaker vote.

To win as a speaker, a candidate must obtain an absolute majority. With 434 members, a Republican candidate would need 218 votes if every member votes.

Which Republicans have not committed to supporting Johnson?

Recently, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., stated that he will not support Johnson for speaker.

Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., stated on "Mornings with Maria" that he has not yet committed to voting for Johnson, as he wants to have a conversation with him first.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., stated that Democrats will not rescue Johnson if he fails to obtain sufficient Republican votes.

How could the recent government funding bill affect the vote?

In December, Johnson presented a government funding bill, which, however, was rejected by the House floor after opposition from Republican legislators and Trump allies Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy.

A third government funding bill was introduced by Johnson, but many of his GOP colleagues did not support it. Despite this, the bill passed in the House with unanimous Democrat support. Meanwhile, a second government funding bill was brought to the House floor, but bipartisan lawmakers voted against the legislation.

Johnson may face opposition from 4 to 10 Republicans in his re-election as speaker, as more than two dozen Republicans have already broken with him on the government funding fight.

Could the House race affect the certification of the election?

The Electoral College certification for Trump will occur on Monday, four days after the vote for speaker takes place on Friday.

The House cannot commence any official business, including counting the presidential election votes for Trump, until a speaker is chosen and the next Congress is sworn in. In January 2023, it took House Republicans four days and 15 ballots to elect a speaker.

Trump declared his support for Johnson, which could significantly impact Johnson's chances of winning the election on Friday.

On Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social, stating that the American people require immediate relief from the previous administration's harmful policies. Speaker Mike Johnson is a diligent, religious individual who will always do what is right, and we will continue to succeed. Mike has my complete and total endorsement. MAGA!

Planet Chronicle' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.