Washington — House Republicans will convene for an internal meeting Friday morning to try to chart a path forward for selecting a new nominee for speaker after Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who earned the nod just two days ago, abruptly announced his decision to step aside.
Scalise’s announcement late Thursday came amid mounting opposition to his candidacy from the fractured GOP conference’s right flank, making it unlikely he could secure the 217 votes needed to win the gavel in a vote on the House floor. House Republicans chose Scalise as their candidate for speaker over Rep. Jim Jordan, a conservative firebrand who leads the Judiciary Committee, in a closed-door vote Wednesday.
Scalise informed journalists that he opted to withdraw with the aspiration of finding a candidate capable of unifying the party.
He stated that our conference is yet to unite and reach the desired level. He mentioned that there are still individuals who prioritize their personal interests. He emphasized the importance of setting aside personal agendas and prioritizing the needs of our country.
“A ship that doesn’t have a rudder”
Scalise’s exit adds to the chaos that has enveloped the GOP conference since Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted from the speakership in an unprecedented vote last week. The House is now in its second week without a leader, leaving one chamber of Congress effectively paralyzed until a speaker is elected.
On Thursday, Representative Mark Alford, a newly elected member from Texas, expressed to reporters that our current situation resembles a ship without a rudder. He further noted that this is a distressing period for those of us who entered this arena with the intention of conducting important legislative work.
The dysfunction among Republicans comes as lawmakers are confronting a fast-approaching Nov. 17 deadline to fund the government and rising pressure to respond to the war in Israel and Gaza following the brutal attacks by Hamas nearly one week ago. Still, despite the issues requiring congressional action, it’s unclear who in the GOP can win the broad backing required to become speaker.
Jordan’s supporters, who managed to secure 99 votes in the recent secret ballot vote, believe he has a chance to become the gavel holder. However, it is expected that moderate Republicans will oppose his candidacy. Jordan, a co-founder of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, played a significant role in the 2013 government shutdown. He is renowned for his strong support of former President Donald Trump and is actively involved in the impeachment inquiry of President Biden, making him a prominent figure on Capitol Hill.
Jordan suspected that the group he was conversing with on Friday morning were “holdouts” before the GOP conference meeting. Additionally, a senior GOP aide informed CBS News that the Ohio delegation initiated a whip effort in support of Jordan.
After the recent events, Rep. Mike Garcia from California hinted that certain Republican lawmakers might withdraw their support for Jordan, despite his allies’ claims that he is the only Republican capable of securing 217 votes.
He stated that there is an ongoing academic discussion regarding whether we should reward what some refer to as the tyranny of the minority in this particular situation. Additionally, he expressed his support for Jordan but acknowledged that there are a significant number of individuals who have observed and experienced the events of the past 40 hours and do not back him. He believes that this situation with Jordan may result in a similar issue as with Scalise, indicating that it is essentially a matter of mathematics.
The prospect of a protracted fight among Republicans over a speaker candidate has prompted some questions of whether the House should act to temporarily expand the authority of Rep. Patrick McHenry, who is leading the chamber in the interim as speaker pro tempore. McHenry was appointed to the post by McCarthy following his removal, though the historic nature of the situation has left the House with no precedent to reference.
It is not clear what extent of authority McHenry has beyond the task of supervising the election of a new speaker.
In the event that Jordan is unable to gather the necessary support to become speaker, there have been discussions among certain members about the option of aligning with Democrats to back a consensus candidate. North Carolina Representative Greg Murphy has suggested individuals like McHenry, Kevin Hern from Oklahoma, and Byron Donalds from Florida as potential “compromise” contenders.
Murphy informed reporters that within the group, there are individuals of exceptional quality who possess intelligence, both intellectually and politically. These individuals have the capability to finance and guide the conference in the right direction. Murphy emphasized that our battle should not be against one another, and it is crucial to remember this.
Scott MacFarlane contributed to this report.
