Palmer withdraws from consideration for U.S. Speaker

Alabama Rep. Gary Palmer has pulled his name from consideration to be Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

In a statement, Palmer (R-Hoover) said he withdrew to “expedite the process” of deciding on a new speaker to replace Rep. Kevin McCarthy.

“Congress and the American people needed a Republican Speaker three weeks ago. If withdrawing my name can help expedite that process even a little, then I will gladly step aside,” said Palmer. “The candidate forum and individual conversations have given me great hope for the future of the 118th Congress. All the candidates are committed to ideas similar to the principles I laid out last night.

“We must bring stability back to the House of Representatives, and we do that by passing our spending bills on time, providing real spending cuts, not passing short term CRs, allowing members time to read legislation, and uniting the conference before going to the House floor. These principles will truly transform how this place works and ensure it works for the benefit of the American people.”

There are eight candidates vying for the speakership: Reps. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Jack Bergman of Michigan, Byron Donalds of Florida, Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Austin Scott of Georgia and Pete Sessions of Texas.

“I will work with the next speaker on the ideas I have laid out so Congress can come together and do the job the American people sent us here to do,” Palmer said. “With this in mind, I am withdrawing my name from consideration for Speaker.”