Republicans expressed a sense of optimism that they might actually have a House speaker by Tuesday night. 

On Monday the GOP conference met for a candidate forum to hear from the nine Republicans who have thrown their name into the hat for the top job, but Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., dropped out of the running at the top of the meeting. 

‘I think we’re gonna solve this by tomorrow night,’ Rep. Don Bacon, a moderate Nebraskan who voted against Jordan last week, told reporters. 

Asked if he agreed the process would be wrapped up by Tuesday night, speaker candidate Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., told DailyMail.com: ‘I do.’ 

Whip Tom Emmer is an early favorite in the speaker’s race

Florida Rep. Byron Donalds has also garnered support 

‘I think it’s possible,’ said Rep. Byron Donalds, another speaker candidate.  

‘I don’t know if anybody wants to go on longer than tomorrow,’ said Rep. Pat Fallon R-Texas. ‘We report and work for the American people, and they have said, “Get your house in order.”‘ 

Republicans have burned through two speaker candidates since Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster. First, Majority Leader Steve Scalise won a conference vote before dropping out due to opposition then Jim Jordan tried to for the job and lost three floor votes. 

In a step towards a more unified direction, every candidate in the running pledged to back whoever wins a conference vote on the House floor. 

However, not every member has signed that pledge. ‘I didn’t sign the pledge thing, said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who supports Donalds. ‘I think we need to focus on making sure someone’s gonna lead this party in the right direction.’ 

Republicans are still far off from being united behind one candidate. 

Whip Tom Emmer, the House’s number three Republican, is the early favorite and already has a vote-whipping operation in place. Donalds, a Freedom Caucus member from Florida, has racked up support from the right wing of the conference. 

 ‘Donalds has got the most raw talent of anybody up there. I think he could be president by 2030,’ said Fallon, who is endorsing GOP conference vice chair Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La. 

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Asked if he agreed the process would be wrapped up by Tuesday night, speaker candidate Rep. Kevin Hern told DailyMail.com: ‘I do.’

‘I think the headwinds that [Donalds] faces is he’s been here like three years and there may be a backlash because of the Freedom Caucus.’ 

Rep. Matt Gaetz said he was promised by every candidate in the room the ‘full release’ of the January 6 tapes but was ‘most heartened’ by the candidates that had plans for single subject spending bills and pledged not to link Israel and Ukraine aid. 

Rep. Dusty Johnson, a pragmatist from South Dakota, had less optimism about finding a speaker by Tuesday. 

‘I like to be an optimist, but I would tell you the last four weeks have not provided me a lot of reason to be optimistic that Republicans are gonna have our act together. We continue to see these tight margins,’ he said.  

The House has been engulfed in chaos for almost a month after eight Republicans led by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., voted to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in an unprecedented action. 

Since then, Republicans have yet to find a candidate who can secure 217 GOP votes – the magic number needed to clinch the top leadership spot. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, tried and failed three times last week after Majority Leader Steve Scalise backed out before a vote on his nomination even hit the floor. 

The next Republican speaker nominee can only afford to lose four votes, which creates a nearly impossible task in a divided conference. 

A handful of candidates have garnered endorsements: Whip Tom Emmer, the House’s number three Republican, has the public support of a half dozen colleagues, including former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. 

 Donalds has picked up support from key Freedom Caucus member, Texas Rep. Chip Roy, as well as two holdouts against Jordan: Florida Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart and Carlos Gimenez, and fellow Floridian Cory Mills. 

GOP Rep. Jack Bergman has picked up endorsements from a handful of fellow Michiganders. 

Hern a McDonalds franchisee, passed out hamburgers and campaign literature on Monday for his bid for the job. He is also reportedly handing out personalized gifts to members in courting their vote. 

A few other lesser-known names have jumped into the fray: Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., vice chair of the GOP conference, Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., who chairs the Republican Policy Committee, Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., who ran against Jordan for speaker last week, Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., and Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas.