House GOP to huddle Friday morning to figure out next step

House Republicans will meet Friday at 9 a.m. to discuss their path forward to choosing a new Speaker.

The House GOP fell into disarray Thursday after Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told lawmakers he was dropping out of the Speaker’s race after they had already gathered for what was expected to be a meeting to choose a nominee. 

Outgoing Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) originally planned to step down in three weeks, on Oct. 30, giving Republicans limited time to choose his successor.

{mosads}But the House is scheduled to be on recess next week for the federal Columbus Day holiday.

Republicans are also wrestling with how and when to address raising the debt limit before the Treasury Department deadline of Nov. 5.

Nineteen lawmakers, including House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), signed a letter Thursday calling for a unified strategy before settling on who should be the next Speaker.

“Members need to come together to figure out what we are and where we are going as a Conference, before we figure out who will lead us,” they wrote.

— Scott Wong and Kevin Cirilli contributed.