What’s Happening:

With the removal of Kevin McCarthy from the speakership, Republicans were tasked with finding a replacement. McCarthy announced he would not seek the position a second time. Two candidates lobbied for the job, Reps. Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan.

Jim Jordan got the distinction of being endorsed by presidential candidate Donald Trump. A closed-door meeting among House Republicans was held, with lawmakers voting on their nominee.

The entire House will vote for the next Speaker. A candidate needs to receive 217 votes to gain the gavel. After a shortened campaign season, Republicans voted to nominate whom they wanted to take over the job.

From The Post Millennial:
During a closed-door vote on Wednesday, Majority Leader Steve Scalise was nominated by the GOP to be the next House Speaker.

Multiple lawmakers told The Hill that Scalise won the nomination in a 113-99 vote, defeating House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan.

Republicans nominated Steve Scalise to take over as House Speaker. Scalise will need the support of most Republicans to secure the job, as it is unlikely that any Democrats will side with him. But already there is growing dissension, as Republicans prove once again, they cannot unify like Democrats.

From The Post Millennial:
[Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene] said that despite Jordan not winning the nomination, she would be voting for him on the House floor during the upcoming vote to elect the House speaker.

I just voted for Jim Jordan for Speaker on a private ballot in conference, and I will be voting for Jim Jordan on the House floor.

I like Steve Scalise, and I like him so much that I want to see him defeat cancer more than sacrifice his health in the most difficult position in…

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 11, 2023

GOP firebrand MTG revealed she will not be voting for Steve Scalise. She claims that his recent cancer diagnosis disqualifies him from “the most difficult position in Congress.” But she is not the only Republican opposed to Scalise’s appointment.

From Breitbart:
[Representative Nancy Mace said] “I personally cannot, in good conscious, vote for someone who attended a white supremacist conference and compared himself to David Duke. I would be doing a disservice to the voters I represent in South Carolina.”

Republican Mace accused Scalise of attending a “white supremacist” event. This took place in 2002. Scalise has since apologized and condemned the group. Yet Mace appears to be using this piece of information as an excuse to reject Scalise’s nomination to Speaker.

A reported 20 Republicans oppose Scalise’s nomination, more than enough to deprive him of victory. Democrats are likely to unite to nominate and vote for a candidate of their own.

The ongoing House Speaker drama has been going on since January of this year when hardliner Republicans opposed McCarthy’s original campaign. The divisiveness among House Republicans is frequently used by Democrats, who attack Republicans for their inability to unite or cooperate.

Key Takeaways:

• House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has been nominated to become the next Speaker.
• Several Republicans are already opposing him, jeopardizing his victory.
• Scalise cannot lose more than five Republican votes if he wants to win.

Source: The Post Millennial, The Post Millennial, Breitbart