Majority Leader Steve Scalise drops out of House speaker race after meeting GOP conference
House Majority Leader Stev𝔉e Scalise has dropped out of the race to become the next House speaker.
“I just shared with my colleague🌺s that I’m withdrawing my name as a candidate for speaker-designee,” the Louisiana Republican told reporters Thursday after a meeting with the GOP conference.
Scalise, who has touted his ability to build coalitions and unite Republicans, struggled to gain support from members of the fractured GOP conference even after winning a secret ballot election on Wednesday to become the speaker designate.
“I was very clear we have to ꧒have everybody put their agendas on the side and focus on what this country needs, this country is counting on us to come back together,” Scalise 💝said.
“But there’s some folks that really need to look in the mirror over tℱhe next couple of days and decide are we going to get it back on track, or they’re going to try to pursue their own agenda,” he added.
He explained that “there are still schisܫms that have to get resolved.”
Scalise, 57, did not say whether or not he planned on endorsing House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Joꦜrdan (R-Ohio), whom he edged out 113-99 in the closed-door ballot for🌜 the speakership nomination.
The Louisiana Republican, who has represented the Bayou State’s ꧑1st Congressional District in the lower chamber since 2008, noted that he intends to keep his post as majority leader.
Scalise’s failure to secure the 217 GOP votes needed to be elected on⛎ the House floor comes after more than three hours of behind-closed-door debates that took place at the Capitol on Thursday.
Before his surprising withdrawal, dozens of members indicated that they intended to remain loyal to Jordan, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, or Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who on Oct. 3 b🌼ecame the first House Speaker in history to be remove🌌d after eight Republicans joined with every Democrat to vote him oꦍut.
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“It’s ♐not an easy task,” McCarthy, when asked by reporters about Scalise’s path forward.
“He told a lot of people he was going to be at 150 [conference votes] and he wasn’t th෴ere,” the former speaker added, noting “it’s a big hill” to climb💜.
Scalise was adamant during his withdrawal speech that he didn’t want to be se🍸en as an impediment to getting a new sp🃏eaker elected.
“I never came here for a title,” he said. “And it’s much bigger than me and it’s much bigger than anybody else and nobody’s going to use me as an excuse to hold back our ability to get the House opened again.”
“But it wasn’t going to happen. It wasn’t gonna happen today, it wasn’t gonna happen tomorrow.”
Rep. Dan Meuser (D-Pa.), a Jordan supporter, praised Scalise for stepping aside amid the discord within the 🐽conference.
“He put the country ahead of himself,” .&nbs🐽p;
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With Scalise out, Jordan seems likely to contest for the nomination again, and one lawmaker suggested that he should be made speaker “🍎tonight.”
“Jꦚim Jordan is the obvious choice for the conference,” .
“He’s theღ only man in the room that can rally 217 vote🌜s.”
“The best thing Republicans can do is 𝐆get behind him, make him the speaker, do it𒈔 tonight,” he implored fellow members.
Sp♉eaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC) adjourned th❀e House shortly after Scalise’s announcement until 9 a.m. Friday.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) echoed both Meuser and Banks, calling Scal♌ise a selfless statesman and urging the party to quickly nominate a speaker.&🗹nbsp;
🍰“I am asking members of the GOP to return to Washington so that we can nominate a Speaker,” . “Scalise is a statesman and acted in true selfless fashion by stepping aside. This needs to happen.”
The Florida lawmaker floated Jordan, Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.𓄧), and former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) as possible options for the GOP.
Hern, who had been campaigning to replace Scalise as House Majority Leader, indicated that he 🅰would the speakership.
The GOP conference will reportedly at 10 a.m. on💃 Friday and possibly consider new speaker candidates.
“I anticipate, yes,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) when asked if he expects som𒁏eone to challenge Jordan for the nomination, adding that McCarthy’s name was “tossed around.”
Scalise, who said he made “no deals with anybody” prior to dropping out, told reporters that he expects 🤡“a lot of people” to conside👍r running for speaker after his exit.
“But it’s got to be people that aren’t doing it for themselves and their own personal interests,” he added.
