House Republicans are in a state of disarray as they scramble to find a new nominee for speaker following the withdrawal of Majority Leader Steve Scalise. After winning a closed-door secret ballot vote on Wednesday, it became clear that Scalise did not have the necessary 217 votes to win a House-wide vote. As a result, Republicans could begin voting on a new candidate as early as Thursday.

One potential nominee is Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, who received 99 votes in the initial vote, compared to Scalise's 113. Despite publicly backing Scalise, several members still expressed their support for Jordan on the House floor. However, Jordan's reputation as a bomb-thrower has made some moderates in the party wary.

Another potential candidate is Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who had been floating a run for speaker behind the scenes while publicly supporting Scalise. Some lawmakers believe Emmer could be a viable candidate, while others have expressed concerns over Scalise's recent cancer diagnosis.

Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, who is currently serving as interim speaker, has distanced himself from the idea of running for the gavel. However, some GOP lawmakers are exploring ways to temporarily empower McHenry with certain authorities until mid-November.

It remains unclear when the speaker vote will happen and how long the process will take. House Republicans are set to meet on Friday morning to discuss conference rules and work towards a consensus for the next speaker candidate. Freshman Rep. Max Miller of Ohio expressed hope that a new speaker could be chosen by the end of the weekend.

Negotiations and discussions among House Republicans have continued in closed-door meetings, with some members expressing their lack of support for Scalise. Tennessee GOP Rep. Andy Ogles has called for Republicans to "lock the door" at the conference meeting and continue until a speaker is picked, even if it means sacrificing the weekend.

The absence of a clear speaker nominee has left the House effectively paralyzed, with lawmakers facing important issues such as funding the government and responding to the conflict in Israel and Gaza. The dysfunction within the GOP comes after Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted from the speakership in a vote last week.

Supporters of Jordan believe he can win the gavel, but his candidacy may face resistance from moderate Republicans due to his role in the conservative House Freedom Caucus and the 2013 government shutdown. Some members of the Ohio delegation have launched a whip effort on behalf of Jordan.

The possibility of a protracted fight over a speaker candidate has led some to suggest temporarily expanding the authority of Rep. Patrick McHenry, who is currently leading the chamber as speaker pro tempore. The scope of McHenry's authority beyond overseeing the election of a new speaker remains unclear.

If Jordan fails to secure the necessary support, some members have raised the possibility of joining with Democrats to support a consensus candidate. Reps. Patrick McHenry, Kevin Hern, and Byron Donalds have been suggested as potential compromise candidates.

Overall, the House Republicans face a crucial decision in selecting a new speaker, with tensions running high and the future leadership of the party at stake.