Scalise Nominated for GOP Speaker, But Faces Uphill Battle for Votes
Rep. Steve Scalise emerged as the House Republicans' choice for speaker on Wednesday. However, the Louisiana Republican is currently short of the necessary votes to secure the position, casting doubt on his ability to rally the required support.
The GOP is now grappling with concerns over Scalise's potential to become speaker, given the internal opposition he faces. This leadership quandary deepens the crisis the GOP has been experiencing since Kevin McCarthy's remarkable removal from the role.
The House is in a state of effective standstill due to the absence of a speaker, a situation made even more pressing in light of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Adding to the urgency is the impending government funding deadline in mid-November, which requires attention to prevent a potential shutdown.
In a private vote by the House GOP conference to determine their speaker nominee, Scalise secured the nomination over Rep. Jim Jordan. This outcome was a setback for former President Donald Trump, who had thrown his support behind Jordan, a prominent Trump advocate and the current chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
However, Scalise's nomination did not guarantee a smooth path to the speakership. A significant number of Republicans have refrained from pledging their support for Scalise in the upcoming floor vote. In the internal GOP vote, Scalise garnered 113 votes to Jordan's 99, leaving him short of the 217 votes needed to clinch the speakership in a full House vote.
Given the slim majority held by the House Republicans, Scalise can only afford a loss of four GOP votes if he hopes to secure the position.
The recent ousting of McCarthy, orchestrated by a faction of staunch conservatives, has further deepened the rift within the House GOP, making the task of rallying behind a new speaker even more daunting.
The timeline for a House floor vote to decide the new speaker remains uncertain, as the House Republicans concluded Wednesday's session without setting a date for the vote.