House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s Withdrawal from House Speaker Race: Implications and Uncertainties

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In a surprising turn of events, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise made an announcement on Thursday, revealing his withdrawal from the race for the vacant House Speaker position. Scalise shared his decision with reporters, saying, “I just shared with my colleagues that I’m withdrawing my name as a candidate for the speaker designee.”

This decision followed Scalise’s nomination by the Republican conference the previous Wednesday for the role of Speaker, a position that had remained unoccupied since the removal of California Representative Kevin McCarthy in a historic vote the week before. Scalise’s withdrawal was attributed to the presence of individuals with their own political agendas, causing divisions within the Republican ranks. Scalise remarked, “This House of Representatives needs a speaker, and we need to open up the House again. But clearly, not everybody is there, and there are still schisms that have to get resolved.”

During the closed-door meeting on Wednesday, Rep. Jim Jordan, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee from Ohio, received 99 votes, while Scalise received 113. Jordan declined to comment on Scalise’s withdrawal and stated that he would address the situation the following day. Scalise refrained from indicating whether he would support Jordan’s nomination, emphasizing the urgency of electing a new Speaker.

Scalise also accused some GOP members of shifting their positions and “moving the goalposts” in their support, leading to his decision to step back from the race. He stated, “There were people that told me they were fine with me three days ago, who were moving the goalposts and making up…reasons why, that had nothing to do… they were saying… there were games being played, and I said, ‘I’m not gonna be a part of it.'”

The future steps for the Republican Party remain uncertain. Without a nominee, Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry continues to serve with limited powers. While some Republican representatives have left town, a substantial number remain in the conference meeting to strategize on the way forward.

Rep. Greg Murphy from North Carolina estimated that about 80% of the conference continued to meet after Scalise’s announcement. He suggested that Jordan should have the opportunity to gather the 217 votes necessary to become the nominee, although he acknowledged it might be challenging. Murphy also proposed the possibility of a “compromise” candidate and mentioned representatives Byron Donalds of Florida and Kevin Hern of Oklahoma as potential unifying choices.

Hern had briefly considered running for the position following McCarthy’s removal, but he later withdrew, expressing concerns that a “three-man race for Speaker will only draw this process out longer, creating further division.” Hern hinted at discussions about potentially running as a team but provided no further details.

To secure the role of House Speaker, the Republican nominee will need 217 GOP votes, assuming all members are present and vote for a candidate. Scalise faced challenges in obtaining the necessary votes, as at least 16 Republican representatives, including some of Jordan’s supporters, indicated they would not vote for him.

Since McCarthy’s removal, the House has been in recess, unable to resume its business until a permanent Speaker is chosen. In the interim, Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina has been serving as Speaker Pro Tempore.

The recent history of House Speaker removal is noteworthy. McCarthy’s ouster came after a vote of 216 to 210, making it the first time in U.S. history that a House Speaker was removed through a no-confidence vote. This significant shift was instigated by Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who criticized McCarthy for supporting a bipartisan 45-day stopgap bill, claiming it betrayed conservative principles.

As we observe this unfolding political drama, the future direction of the Republican Party and the House Speaker position remains uncertain.

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