WASHINGTON (AP) — Win or lose in the race for the majority, House Republicans are at risk of plunging into a messy leadership battle after the November election, with the party lacking a clear heir apparent to take the place of House Speaker Paul Ryan.

President Donald Trump has signaled he'd be happy with next-in-line Kevin McCarthy, the majority leader, a longtime ally whom the president calls "My Kevin."

But Trump is also saying kind words about the No. 3 Republican, GOP Whip Steve Scalise, whom he calls the "legend from Louisiana." Scalise survived life-threatening injuries after he was shot at a congressional baseball practice in 2017.

And there's a third lawmaker in the mix: conservative Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, who is waging a longshot bid to take the gavel. Trump appeared with Jordan at an Ohio rally in the summer and beamed when the crowd started chanting, "Speaker of the House!"

"There's going to be a contest, for sure," said GOP Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, a veteran of leadership battles who said he's never seen anything like the "high drama" that's about to unfold. "Usually the election settles all the issues. This one won't."