House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., is the preferred candidate among Republican voters to become the next House speaker if Republicans can keep control of the lower chamber after the midterm elections.
A new Morning Consult/Politico poll released Wednesday shows 18 percent of Republican voters would like to see Scalise in the position, while 11 percent want Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who is expected to replace Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., once he gives up his post at the end of the current term, came in third with 9 percent.
Scalise acknowledged in March he was interested in becoming House speaker, but said he wouldn’t run against McCarthy. Jordan announced last month he was running to replace Ryan, but he is seen as a long-shot candidate compared to McCarthy.
If Democrats regain the majority, 32 percent of Democrats said they want House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi to become speaker again. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, followed with 13 percent and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., had 3 percent.
Pelosi signaled earlier this year she’d like to become House speaker again, but has faced criticism in her party about stepping aside so a younger generation of lawmakers can take the lead.
The poll was conducted Aug. 10-12 among a sample of 1,992 registered voters. The margin of error is plus or minus 2 percentage points.
