House GOP leaders try to climb the ladder after McCarthy ouster

• Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) is running for majority leader and Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler (R-Pa.) is running for whip, two sources familiar confirmed to Axios.

State of play: Emmer, who is backing Scalise for speaker, previously served two terms as chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee and won a contested race for whip.

• Reschenthaler played a key role in whipping votes for Emmer and has been a pivotal part of his team in helping difficult bills get over the finish line.
• Former House Deputy Whip Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) — who served as Scalise's top deputy — has been receiving calls encouraging him to run, according to two sources familiar.
• "Drew's focus right now is making sure that Scalise is elected as the next Speaker of the House," an aide familiar.

The big picture: What the changes to the leadership team look like remain unclear, with multiple lawmakers noting that all candidates looking to be speaker will have difficulties getting the votes needed to secure the gavel.

• Other names are expected to emerge in coming days, with two members speculating that House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) may look to climb the leadership ladder.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional deve