House Republicans are feeling the pressure of needing to elect a new speaker after weeks of congressional paralysis \u2013 but whether there will be one this week remains to be seen, several of them said.<\/p>\n
\u2018Fifty-fifty would be my prediction,\u2019 Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., told Fox News Digital on Monday night. \u2018It seems like there\u2019s less emotion in the room. There\u2019s less stubbornness, there\u2019s more reasonability.\u2019<\/p>\n
GOP lawmakers held a speaker candidate forum on Monday evening ahead of a conference-wide vote on their next nominee for the gavel. It\u2019s their third time in three weeks hosting such an event, and Tuesday will mark three weeks since ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy\u2019s historic ouster.<\/p>\n
Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio \u2013 two of the highest-profile House Republicans after McCarthy \u2013 were both forced out of the race because they were unable to win over the 217 Republicans needed for victory.<\/p>\n
CHAOTIC, CONVOLUTED PATH HOUSE REPUBLICANS TOOK TO ELECT SPEAKER LEADS BACK TO SQUARE ONE<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n While some GOP lawmakers left the room with optimism on Monday, others were hesitant to say the political spectacle is enough to unite a heavily fractured Republican conference.<\/p>\n \u2018I want there to be one. I have no idea, because there\u2019s 221 individuals in this place that have been here for a long time and have their own thoughts on what the priorities should be,\u2019 Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Texas, who did not support Jordan, told Fox News Digital.\u00a0<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Small Business Committee Chairman Roger Williams, R-Texas, suggested that no one can make a conclusion right now on what will happen Tuesday but said \u2018hopefully\u2019 a speaker is finally chosen.<\/p>\n \u2018I\u2019m confident with you we will. If we haven\u2019t, you ask me that question for\u2026the following week,\u2019 Williams said. \u2018We\u2019re going through the process, and we\u2019ll see. Hopefully, we can come out with somebody tomorrow and get on the floor with it. But we\u2019ll see.\u2019<\/p>\n House Republicans were originally set to hear from nine different candidates for speaker. One of them, Rep. Dan Meuser, left shortly after opening speeches concluded and told reporters he was dropping out of the race. \u2018I felt that it was in the best interest in the end. I came in late. I have other commitments to adhere to,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., cast himself as \u2018cautiously optimistic\u2019 that a speaker would be found soon and said his colleagues showed \u2018a consensus that we have to get back to work.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018Tonight was very cordial. It\u2019s the first time was cordial, I think, among members,\u2019 Zinke told Fox News Digital. \u2018I saw a distinct diminishing of hostilities, it seemed to be a little calmer.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018After I saw that tone tonight, I\u2019m actually, I would say cautiously optimistic, that we can actually get a speaker done this week,\u2019 Zinke added.<\/p>\n Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, said \u2018sheer exhaustion\u2019 within the GOP conference would help bring an end to the saga.<\/p>\n \u2018I don\u2019t know of anybody in there that wants this to go on longer than tomorrow. Literally, regardless of who they\u2019re supporting,\u2019 Fallon said, adding that constituents want them \u2018to get this done today.\u2019<\/p>\n