Steve Scalise Nominated as Republican Candidate for House Speaker

In a significant political development, Republican lawmakers have nominated Majority Leader Steve Scalise as their choice for the Speaker of the House. This selection sets the stage for the election to fill the vacancy left after the historic removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy from the position just a week ago. Scalise secured his nomination by defeating the conservative firebrand and Judiciary Committee chair, Jim Jordan, with a vote count of 113 to 99 in favor of Scalise. The Republican House members made this choice during a closed-door meeting.

Steve Scalise’s path to becoming Speaker is not yet certain, as he will need to gather 217 votes from the full House to assume the position. Notably, those Republican lawmakers who voted for Jim Jordan as the nominee are not bound to vote for Scalise in the final House vote. Some members suggested that the House might hold a vote on the House floor very soon, while others raised objections to a hasty decision immediately following the internal party meeting.

The House reconvened, but there is a sense of urgency to fill the role, especially due to the ongoing conflict in Israel, as Scalise emphasized. He asserted that the House should act promptly in electing a new Speaker, sending a message that the House is operational and attending to the nation’s business. He also revealed that one of the first actions, if he assumes the role of Speaker, will be the consideration of a resolution declaring U.S. support for Israel.

However, the next Speaker will have to address the imminent deadline for funding the government, with legislation to keep agencies operating only through November 17, recently passed by Congress. This further complicates the political landscape and challenges the unity of the Republican party.

Scalise’s nomination represents the culmination of his ascent through the ranks of GOP leadership. He had previously served as both the majority and minority whip and had been elected as majority leader when Republicans regained control of the House in November 2022.

The nomination process had an amendment proposed by Reps. Chip Roy and Brian Fitzpatrick, which aimed to increase the threshold required to nominate a speaker, but this amendment was tabled during the discussions. It would have demanded that any candidate secure 217 votes before a floor vote in the full House, thereby avoiding multiple rounds of voting. Instead, Scalise’s nomination was made by secret ballot and only required the support of half the conference.

Given the narrow majority of the Republicans, Scalise’s quest to unite the party and secure the gavel will be an arduous task, particularly with Democrats expected to unanimously oppose his candidacy. After the nomination, Scalise met with Jim Jordan, and while Jordan stated he wouldn’t encourage his supporters to vote for Scalise, it’s been reported that Jordan himself will cast his vote for Scalise. Nevertheless, several of Jordan’s supporters have indicated their intention to vote for him.

Speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry, who has been overseeing the role of interim Speaker since McCarthy’s removal, stated that he would give Scalise time to garner support before scheduling a formal vote. In this unique political moment, the Speaker’s election process has moved at an unprecedented pace.

The outlook is complex, as it involves dealing with a divided Republican conference and addressing a rule change proposal to make it more difficult to remove a Speaker. The Republican party faces the challenge of achieving consensus while working with a slim majority and competing viewpoints within their ranks.

Notably, Scalise’s journey to the Speakership comes amid his ongoing treatment for multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. Despite his health challenges and a near-death experience in 2017 when he was shot during a baseball practice, Scalise remains resolute in his mission to lead the House. His determination and the unfolding dynamics within the Republican party will play a pivotal role in the upcoming House Speaker election.