Majority Leader Steve Scalise Drops Out Of House Speaker Race After Meeting GOP Conference

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has made the decision to withdraw from the race for the position of the next House speaker. In a meeting with the GOP conference, the Louisiana Republican informed reporters on Thursday, maintaining the integrity of his statement, “I just shared with my colleagues that I’m withdrawing my name as a candidate for speaker-designee.”

Scalise, who had emphasized his skill in forming alliances and uniting Republicans, encountered difficulties in garnering support from members within the fragmented GOP conference. This challenge persisted despite his victory in a secret ballot election on Wednesday, where he was elected as the speaker designate. He expressed his perspective, saying, “I was very clear we have to have everybody put their agendas on the side and focus on what this country needs, this country is counting on us to come back together.”

He further stressed the need for self-reflection within the party, stating, “But there’s some folks that really need to look in the mirror over the next couple of days and decide are we going to get it back on track, or they’re going to try to pursue their own agenda.” Scalise acknowledged that “there are still schisms that have to get resolved.”

Regarding his future plans, Scalise did not specify whether he would endorse House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), whom he narrowly defeated 113-99 in the closed-door ballot for the speakership nomination. The congressman from Louisiana, who has represented the 1st Congressional District of his state in the lower chamber since 2008, made it clear that he intended to retain his position as majority leader.

Scalise’s inability to secure the necessary 217 GOP votes for election on the House floor followed a series of more than three hours of closed-door discussions at the Capitol on Thursday. Prior to his unexpected withdrawal, a substantial number of members indicated their commitment to either Jim Jordan, who received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, or Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who was removed from the position of House Speaker on October 3, after eight Republicans joined every Democrat in voting him out.

When asked about Scalise’s path forward, McCarthy commented, “It’s not an easy task,” and noted that Scalise had set high expectations, stating, “He told a lot of people he was going to be at 150 [conference votes] and he wasn’t there. It’s a big hill to climb.”

Rep. Dan Meuser (D-Pa.), a supporter of Jordan, commended Scalise for stepping aside amid the internal discord within the conference, saying, “He put the country ahead of himself.”

With Scalise’s withdrawal, it appears likely that Jim Jordan will once again compete for the nomination, with one lawmaker suggesting he should be appointed as speaker without delay, stating, “Jim Jordan is the obvious choice for the conference. He’s the only man in the room that can rally 217 votes.” He further urged fellow members to unite behind Jordan and make him the speaker promptly.

{Matzav.com}