NASHVILLE — U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tennessee, is running for U.S. House speaker, the Ooltewah congressman’s office confirmed Tuesday.
Also running for the vacant seat amid ongoing tumult on Capitol Hill is another Tennessee Republican, U.S. Rep. Mark Green of Clarksville.
Fleischmann, 61, was first elected to Congress in 2010 and is chairman of the House Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee, a powerful position known in Washington as a cardinal because of its power over funding decisions.
The House has been left without a speaker since Oct. 4 when then-Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California was ousted by eight Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett of Knoxville, and 208 Democrats.
A divided Republican Conference has since nominated several would-be speaker candidates, none of whom have survived. The latest was earlier on Monday when House Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minnesota, dropped out of the speaker’s race just hours after winning the GOP nomination.
(READ MORE: Fleischmann tops Congressional earmarks list with Chickamauga Lock)
One Republican who knows Fleischmann well said the congressman is “pretty well-liked. He’s captain of the (House Republicans) baseball team. He’s in the meetings with both senators and they trust him and like him. … Everyone likes Chuck, I just had a really super-conservative guy call me and said ‘if Chuck is running, I’m going to vote for him.'”
Others vying for the spot are Reps. Byron Donalds, R-Florida; Kevin Hern, R-Oklahoma; Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana; and Roger Williams, R-Texas.
This is a developing story. Stay with the Times Free Press for updates.
Contact Andy Sher at asher@timesfreepress.com or 615-285-9480.