House Majority Leader Steve Scalise pledged to back the eventual presidential nominee – even if it isn’t him – and called on his potential opponents to do the same.
Scalise (R-La.) touted his ability to build coalitions and unite Republicans, in an interview with Politico on Friday, and promised to support whoever the House Republican conference decides to endorse for president as part of his effort to unite the fractured conference. .
“I want to be the nominee, but I will support him,” he said, asking his colleagues in the race to do so as well.
Scalise and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) are currently the only two declared candidates vying for former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s vacant House seat.
“I want to be the nominee, but I will support him,” Scalise said Friday. Getty Images Jordan and Scalise compete for vacant House speaker position.AP
While acknowledging there is “frustration and anger” in the conference over McCarthy’s unprecedented ouster, Scalise said he is not considering punishing any of the eight GOP members who voted in favor of Rep. Matt Gaetz’s (R-R.) motion. by Florida) to vacate earlier this week.
“Look, the conversations right now are: How do we get back on track? How do we get back together? the Louisiana Republican said. “My experience is someone who has built coalitions, who has brought Republicans together to come together on really difficult issues.”
Scalise revealed that he is open to changing the House GOP motion to overturn the rule, which under McCarthy allowed a single member to bring the motion to the floor for a vote.
“If we want to change that, it will take everyone in our conference working together,” he said, explaining that he would not seek change if there was no consensus.
However, Scalise was less inclined to change a rule that would likely ensure a smoother presidential election process.
A group of 94 House Republicans asked GOP leaders, in a letter Friday, to hold a special conference on a proposal that would allow a majority of House votes to determine the winner of the presidential election, according to Hill.
Under current rules, a simple majority of the Republican conference is needed to elect a House speaker.
“We’re following the rules they’ve always been, so let’s do it,” Scalise told Politico.
The majority leader deflected when asked about the differences between him and Jordan, but unlike his predecessor, Scalise signaled that he is willing to undertake entitlement reform in an effort to cut spending and reduce debt. national.
Scalise says he’s open to reforming entitlement programs during his term.AP
“Whatever the higher number is, there are still other issues that are big problems, not just in spending, but also in what’s driving inflation, which is part of the spending problem,” Scalise said.
“And, you know, get a debt commission to address long-term debt and the immediate problems that lead to insolvency: you know, Medicare, Social Security. “Those are things that we also want to talk about, that are not being discussed and that need to be put on the table,” he added.
The House is expected to begin the process of electing a new speaker next week.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn