Ten MPs have come forward to replace Mr Johnson as Conservative Party leader and British Prime Minister. Readers of Express.co.uk have weighed in on who they want to lead the country in a poll that ran from 9am Monday 11 July to 3pm Tuesday 12 July, asking: “Who should be the next prime minister?”
In total, 6,172 people responded with: Mrs Mordaunt comes out on top with 30 percent (1,871 people) of the votes cast.
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A close second was the Minister of Foreign Affairs Liz Truss by 28 percent (1,756 people).
Attorney General Suella Braverman completed the top three, winning 16 percent (973 people) of reader support.
Another seven percent (408 people) supported Mr Tugendhat as the next prime minister.
Both Kemi Badenoch and Rishi Sunak received five percent of the vote while former health minister Jeremy Hunt got four percent.
In addition, Sajid Javid and newly appointed Nadhim Zahawi each received two percent of the vote.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps – who has now withdrawn from the race – received the support of just one percent of readers, while Rehman Chishti received less, by just 16 votes.
Hundreds of comments were left under the companion article as readers shared their thoughts on the candidates in a lively discussion.
Username Leaver said: “Penny Mordaunt is sound about Brexit, an excellent MP and has what it takes to beat Labor in the next election. She is by far the best candidate. PM for PM.”
Likewise, username warthog 111 said, “For me, I’d go with Penny Mordaunt.”
Others supported Mrs Truss with the username london town. Writing: “The only one I will vote for is Liz Truss.”
And username Guest said, “Truss is the only one…has shown her loyalty to Boris.”
Hopeful candidates have until 6pm to gain the support of at least 20 MPs to reach the first round on Wednesday, July 13.
To advance to the second round of voting, candidates will need 30 supporters and by the end of next week, two finalists will be chosen by Tory MPs in consecutive rounds of voting.
Over the summer, a vote by mail will take place among some 160,000 members of the Conservative Party to determine Mr Johnson’s successor.
Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Backbench MPs, said a new prime minister would take office on September 5.