OAN’s Brooke Mallory
12:09 PM – Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Behind closed doors on Wednesday morning, House Republicans chose Majority Leader Steve Scalise as their preferred candidate for speaker. However, it is still unclear if Scalise will be able to get the necessary 217 votes to take the gavel.
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According to members exiting the GOP conference meeting, Scalise’s (R-La.) victory against House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) opened the door for floor action as early as Wednesday afternoon.
According to Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the vote came down to 113-99.
The former speaker, Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), would be replaced by Scalise. McCarthy was shockingly ousted from his job by eight Republicans and House Democrats when Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) submitted a petition that called for him to step down as speaker last week.
After efforts to raise the threshold for the conference to pick a speaker were delayed, it was Scalise’s second vote in support on Wednesday.
Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Chip Roy (R-Texas) proposed a bill that would have required the party’s choice of speaker to garner 217 votes in conference before being brought up for vote on the floor.
The attempt to reject such a motion was shot down in a 135-88 vote.
Opponents of the idea said it would prolong the election and give any small number of members more ability to make demands, while supporters of the move claimed it would prevent the party from repeating the chaotic floor struggle that resulted in McCarthy’s January election.
Although, on the floor, that dynamic is still in play since Scalise needs just four Republican votes to win the speakership. Max Miller (R-Ohio) and Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), two Jim Jordan supporters, declared after the conference meeting on Wednesday that they still intended to support Jordan in the general election.
From 2014 until his election as majority leader, Scalise, a former chairman of the hardline Republican Study Committee, was the party’s whip in both the majority and minority.
Scalise’s campaign message for the race has centered on uniting the conference. As primary goals for House Republicans, he also emphasized border security, reducing inflation, and better monitoring of the Biden administration.
Speaking in support of Scalise were Reps. Frank D. Lucas (R-Okla.), Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa), and John James (R-Mich.).
Jordan is supported by numerous Republicans in the conference vote, so now Scalise must secure 217 votes from GOP members.
Scalise will begin his speakership while receiving conditional treatment for blood cancer, assuming he wins the requisite votes on the floor.
Back in April, he revealed his illness and stated that he would be receiving “several months” of therapy.
“I’m working with my doctors and running a lot of tests. They came back with the tests. The good news is the cancer has dropped dramatically because of the success of the chemotherapy attacking the cancer,” said Scalise.
Following a briefing on the Israeli situation earlier in the day on Wednesday, Scalise declared that if elected speaker, better protection would be his first concern.
“It’s really, really important that this Congress get back to work,” Scalise asserted. “And the first order of business under Speaker Steve Scalise is going to be offering a strong resolution expressing support for Israel.”
“We’ve got to get back to work today. We’re going to do that.”
It has not yet been reported when the final vote will transpire, however, the process could drag on for hours or even days.
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