Conservatives Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan, who may struggle to attract backing from moderates, reportedly sounding out support
Republicans scramble after McCarthy ouster – live updates
Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Jim Jordan of Ohio emerged as leading contenders to succeed Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the US House of Representatives, after the Californian was brutally removed by his own Republican party on Tuesday.
Scalise is House majority leader, Jordan chair of the powerful judiciary committee. Both are hardline conservatives who may struggle to attract support from moderates – a fact not lost on observers after some on the hard right of the Republican caucus chose to make McCarthy the first speaker ever removed by his own party.