House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has dropped out of the race to become the next speaker of the House.
“I just shared with my colleagues that I am withdrawing my name as a candidate for designated speaker,” the Louisiana Republican told reporters Thursday after a meeting with the Republican conference.
Scalise, who has boasted of his ability to build coalitions and unite Republicans, struggled to win support from members of the fractured GOP conference even after winning a secret election on Wednesday to become chairman-designate.
“I made it very clear that we all need to put aside our agendas and focus on what this country needs, this country is counting on us to come together again,” Scalise said.
“But there are some people who really need to look in the mirror over the next few days and decide if we’re going to get it back on track or if they’re going to try to follow their own agenda,” he added.
He explained that “there are still schisms that need to be resolved.”
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has dropped out of the race to become the next speaker of the House.AP
Scalise, 57, did not say whether he planned to endorse House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), whom he beat 113 to 99 in the closed-door vote for the presidential nomination.
The Louisiana Republican, who has represented the Bayou State’s 1st Congressional District in the House since 2008, signaled that he intends to maintain his position as majority leader.
Scalise’s failure to secure the 217 Republican votes needed to be elected to the House of Representatives comes after more than three hours of closed-door debates that took place at the Capitol on Thursday.
Scalise said he intends to keep his position as House majority leader.AP
Before his surprise withdrawal, dozens of members indicated they intended to remain loyal to Jordan, who had the backing of former President Donald Trump, or Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who on Oct. 3 became The first speaker of the House of Representatives in history will be removed after eight Republicans joined all Democrats in voting for him.
“It’s not an easy task,” McCarthy scheduled for Thursdaywhen asked by reporters about Scalise’s path forward.
“He told many people that he was going to be at 150 [conference votes] and he wasn’t there,” the former spokesman added, noting that “it’s a big hill” to climb.
Scalise explained that “there are still schisms that need to be resolved.”
Scalise insisted during his retirement speech that he did not want to be seen as an impediment to the election of a new president.
“I never came here for a title,” he said. “And he’s a lot bigger than me and he’s a lot bigger than anyone else and no one is going to use me as an excuse to slow down our ability to get the House open again.”
“But that wasn’t going to happen. “It wasn’t going to happen today, it wasn’t going to happen tomorrow.”
Rep. Dan Meuser (D-Pa.), a Jordan supporter, praised Scalise for stepping aside amid discord within the conference.
“He put the country before himself,” Meuser told reporters.
With Scalise out, Jordan appears likely to compete for the nomination again, with one lawmaker suggesting he should be named speaker “tonight.”
Rep. Dan Meuser, a Jordan supporter, praised Scalise for stepping aside amid discord within the conference.REUTERS
“Jim Jordan is the obvious choice for the conference,” said Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.).
“He’s the only man in the room who can muster 217 votes.”
“The best thing Republicans can do is get behind him, make him president, do it tonight,” he implored his colleagues.
Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC) adjourned the House shortly after Scalise’s announcement until 9 a.m. Friday.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) echoed both Meuser and Banks, calling Scalise a selfless statesman and urging the party to quickly nominate a speaker.
“I’m asking members of the Republican Party to return to Washington so we can nominate a president,” Luna tweeted. “Scalise is a statesman and acted truly selflessly by stepping aside. “This has to happen.”
The Florida lawmaker floated Jordan, Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) and former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) as possible GOP picks.
Hern, who had been campaigning to replace Scalise as House majority leader, indicated he will not seek the presidency.
The Republican conference will reportedly meet again at 10 a.m. Friday and possibly consider new speaker candidates.
“I anticipate yes,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) told reporters when asked if he expects anyone to challenge Jordan for the nomination, adding that McCarthy’s name was “danced.”
Scalise, who said he “didn’t make any deals with anyone” before dropping out, told reporters he hopes “a lot of people” will consider running for president after he leaves.
“But it has to be people who don’t do it for themselves and for their own personal interests,” he added.
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