Staff Reports
In a surprising turn of events, it seems that Congressman Steve Scalise of Louisiana does not have enough support to become the next Speaker of the House. At least 20 House Republicans have announced their intention to vote for Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio instead. It is expected that Scalise will step aside as the nominee, making way for Jordan to take the lead.
BREAKING: Congressman Steve Scalise Doesn't Have the Votes for Speaker; Jim Jordan Expected to Step Inhttps://t.co/jzPQwXSkvm
— RedState (@RedState) October 12, 2023
This news comes after Scalise was nominated yesterday in a narrow victory of 113 to 99 in the Republican caucus. However, the high number of holdouts among Republicans indicates a lack of confidence in Scalise’s ability to unite the party. It appears that many Republicans prefer Jordan, who is favored by the conservative base.
? #BREAKING: Steve Scalise will NOT be able to secure the 217 votes necessary to become Speaker, and is expected to WITHDRAW from the race today@RepThomasMassie (R-KY) says at least 20 Republicans will not be voting for Scalise
Jim Jordan is expected to jump back into the… pic.twitter.com/f9lBYaWFoZ
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 12, 2023
While the final voting tally was close, Scalise managed to secure the victory by just 14 votes. The conference was closely divided between Scalise and Jordan, and the result was only determined after Republicans rejected a proposal to change the nominating process. This decision could potentially lead to a messy floor fight during the vote for the new Speaker.
This development could further delay the Speaker vote, reminiscent of the prolonged process that took place earlier this year when Kevin McCarthy was elected as Speaker after almost a week and 15 separate voting rounds. House Republicans are currently meeting in closed-door discussions to determine the best way forward with a nominee for Speaker.
It is important to note that this article is written by Matt Funicello, a conservative Republican news writer. His opinions and biases may influence the way the news is presented. Funicello is a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and the entire Bill of Rights, and he actively serves in Republican politics as an elected party official.
