In a week following the unprecedented removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House, House Republicans have nominated Steve Scalise as the next speaker. However, objections to Scalise’s nomination from a small faction within the Republican ranks have prevented the House Republicans from moving to a final floor vote, creating uncertainty around when a new speaker might be elected.
Scalise, the current second-ranking House Republican, secured victory over Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio, the chairman of the judiciary committee and a prominent figure among far-right conservatives, with a vote count of 113 to 99. Nevertheless, this outcome falls significantly short of the required 217-vote threshold to be elected speaker on the House floor. This situation draws parallels to the earlier divisions within the Republican caucus that led to 15 rounds of balloting before uniting behind McCarthy earlier this year. As of Wednesday, it remains unclear when a floor vote to elect Scalise might occur.
Scalise will require near-unanimous Republican support to secure the speakership, as he can only afford four defections within the Republican conference. As of Wednesday, at least ten House Republicans had expressed reluctance to support Scalise, with several more yet to make a decision.
Steve Scalise acknowledged the need for further efforts to unify the party, stating, “We need to make sure we’re sending a message to people all throughout the world that the House is open and doing the people’s business.”
Some of Jim Jordan’s allies, including Congresswoman Lauren Boebert of Colorado, have indicated their continued support for Jordan during the floor vote, voicing their frustration over the inability to unify the party. This disagreement suggests that the American people desire genuine leadership change rather than a continuation of the status quo.
Despite these divisions, Jordan has signaled his intention to vote for Scalise on the floor and has encouraged his colleagues to do the same. The acrimony surrounding Scalise’s nomination has not yet swayed all his detractors, with Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia expressing concern over Scalise’s health due to his ongoing chemotherapy treatment for blood cancer. Consequently, Greene has pledged to vote for Jim Jordan in the House floor vote.
Furthermore, some members had previously considered an alternative leader, such as McCarthy. However, McCarthy, despite earlier hints of interest in reclaiming the gavel, explicitly requested that his caucus not renominate him for the position.
The removal of Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker was a remarkable and historic event, as he became the first House Speaker in U.S. history to be ousted from the position. A coalition of eight Republicans, led by hard-right Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida, joined with House Democrats to achieve McCarthy’s removal. Gaetz expressed his enthusiasm to support Steve Scalise in the upcoming floor vote, shouting, “Long live Speaker Scalise!”
While the Republican Party is in the midst of this leadership turmoil, Patrick McHenry, a Republican congressman from North Carolina, continues to serve as the acting speaker, preventing the House from conducting other legislative activities.
Republicans are keen on electing a new speaker by the end of the week to prevent a repeat of the spectacle that unfolded in January. A swift election would enable Republicans to shift their focus toward addressing the situation in Israel following the recent attacks by Hamas.
Steve Scalise’s top priority, if he ascends to the speakership, will be to introduce a strong bipartisan resolution expressing support for Israel. Such an action would signal the House’s commitment to backing Israel, a matter of paramount concern for the Republican Party.
In contrast, Democrats have reaffirmed their support for their leader, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York, during a closed-door caucus meeting. The contrast between the two parties—Republicans embroiled in “self-inflicted chaos” over leadership and Democrats emphasizing their focus on Israel, policy, friendship, alliance, strength, and national security—underscores the divergence in governing priorities.
