Nine Republican lawmakers are officially running for the position of speaker of the House after weeks of chaos and uncertainty. The House Republicans will hold a closed-door forum on Monday night, during which each candidate will have the opportunity to address their fellow lawmakers. An internal secret-ballot vote will then take place on Tuesday morning, with the aim of selecting a nominee for speaker. The floor vote to elect the chosen candidate could happen as early as later that same day.

This is the second time Republicans have gone through this process since the removal of Kevin McCarthy as speaker in early October. The two previous contenders, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, were unable to garner enough support to be elected as McCarthy's successor, leaving the party in a state of limbo.

The nine candidates running for speaker are as follows:

1. Jack Bergman of Michigan: Bergman, a retired lieutenant general who served in the Marine Corps, is currently in his fourth term as a representative. He announced his candidacy on Friday, expressing confidence in his ability to secure the necessary votes. Bergman emphasized that he has no special interests to serve and is solely focused on doing what is best for the nation.

2. Byron Donalds of Florida: Donalds, who is serving his second term as a representative, has strong ties to former President Donald Trump and is favored by the hard-line House Freedom Caucus. In a brief press release from his office on Friday, Donalds announced his candidacy for speaker. He later released a full statement outlining his reasons for running, including advancing a conservative agenda and securing the nation's borders.

3. Tom Emmer of Minnesota: Emmer, who currently serves as the House majority whip, is considered an emerging contender for the position of speaker. He announced his bid in a letter to colleagues on Saturday, stating that he aims to bring the Republican conference together and get back to work. Emmer has received the endorsement of Kevin McCarthy and has extensive relationships within the party due to his previous role as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

4. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma: Hern, who is in his fourth term as a representative, initially considered running for speaker after Kevin McCarthy's removal but chose not to compete with Jordan and Scalise. However, after Jordan dropped out of the race, Hern confirmed his candidacy, stating that a different type of leader is needed.

5. Mike Johnson of Louisiana: Johnson, currently serving his fourth term, is the House Republican vice conference chair and previously chaired the Republican Study Committee. In a letter to colleagues on Saturday, Johnson outlined his goals if elected speaker, including restoring trust, promoting individual members, and focusing on effective messaging.

6. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania: Meuser, who has been in the House since 2019, sits on the Financial Services and Small Business committees. In a post on social media, Meuser detailed his vision if elected speaker, emphasizing the importance of underpromising and overdelivering and fostering a culture of teamwork.

7. Gary Palmer of Alabama: Palmer, who has been in the House since 2015, currently serves as the chair of the Republican Policy Committee. He is known for keeping a lower profile than some of his colleagues in the Freedom Caucus.

8. Austin Scott of Georgia: Scott, who has been in the House since 2011, initially entered the race for speaker to oppose Jordan but eventually threw his support behind him. With Jordan out of the race, Scott has reentered the competition, emphasizing the need for Republicans to act like the majority party.

9. Pete Sessions of Texas: Sessions, who is serving his 13th term after a brief hiatus due to losing reelection in 2018, announced his candidacy on Friday. He previously served as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee and the House Rules Committee.

The Republicans will convene on Monday evening to discuss the potential candidates, followed by an internal vote on Tuesday morning. The candidates, with the exception of Emmer and Scott, voted to decertify the 2020 election shortly after the Capitol Insurrection. The interim Speaker, Patrick McHenry, confirmed the timeline of events.

The candidates have varied backgrounds and experiences, and each will make their case to their fellow lawmakers during the closed-door forum. The ultimate goal is to select a nominee for speaker who can unify the Republican Party and lead them effectively in the 118th Congress.