Boris Johnson is inching closer to becoming the U.K.'s next prime minister after coming in at the top of the ballot in the second round of Conservative Party leadership votes Tuesday.

Johnson earned 126 votes, 12 more than he received in the first round, leaving five candidates still in the running, according to BBC.

The Conservative Party is selecting a new leader after Prime Minister Theresa May Theresa Mary MayAre US-Japan relations on the rocks? Trump insulted UK's May, called Germany's Merkel 'stupid' in calls: report Bolton says Boris Johnson is 'playing Trump like a fiddle' MORE stepped down earlier this month amid failed Brexit negotiations.

ADVERTISEMENT

The next vote will take place Wednesday, and the candidate with the lowest number of votes will be eliminated, according to BBC.

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab was knocked out of the race in Tuesday's vote, leaving Johnson along with Jeremy Hunt, Michael Gove, Sajid Javid and Rory Stewart on the ballot.

Johnson earned more than double the votes of the second place candidate, foreign secretary Hunt.

The remaining candidates will participate in a live BBC debate Tuesday night.

Johnson is a former member of parliament and mayor of London, and a vocal supporter of Brexit.