What keeps Republican Steve Scalise from being Speaker of House?

What keeps Republican Steve Scalise from being Speaker of House?

Web Desk
October 12, 2023

What keeps Republican Steve Scalise from being Speaker of House?

Republicans have chosen Steve Scalise as their candidate.
A floor vote by the full House will be the next step in the process.
The Republican Party has been grappling with internal divisions.

Republicans have chosen Steve Scalise as their candidate for the new Speaker of the House of Representatives in a secret vote.

He secured 113 votes compared to Jim Jordan’s 99 during the closed-door meeting held at the US Capitol. The Speaker’s role is highly influential, overseeing the lower chamber of Congress.

A floor vote by the full House, requiring a simple majority of 217 votes, will be the next step in the process. The House adjourned as Steve Scalise worked to garner enough support within his party, and the timing of the floor vote remains uncertain. Acting Speaker Patrick McHenry stated that they will “let that happen” when asked about the timeline.

The Republican Party has been grappling with internal divisions, exacerbated by the ousting of Kevin McCarthy, which was unprecedented in US politics.

Scalise emphasized the importance of filling the Speaker role in an increasingly “dangerous world” and stressed the need to send a message that the House is open.

Hakeem Jeffries of New York has been put forth as their candidate for Speaker on the Democratic side but as the minority party, their chances of reaching the 217-vote threshold are slim.

Scalise’s narrow victory underscores the fractures within the Republican Party, with some lawmakers expressing skepticism about his ability to secure the Speaker position.

At least 20 Republicans, including Thomas Massie, are expected to vote against Scalise, raising challenges for his candidacy.

Despite an endorsement by former President Trump, Jim Jordan did not secure the Speaker nomination.

Steve Scalise’s victory suggests that Trump’s influence within the party, particularly in the House of Representatives, may not be as dominant as his popularity in polling indicates.

Scalise’s next task is to secure the support of at least 217 out of the 221 Republicans during the full House vote to become the Speaker, a precarious majority that proved challenging for his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy.

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