House Majority Leader Steve Scalise becomes the 2nd prominent Republican to announce his candidacy for the vacant House Speaker position after Rep. Matt Gaetz ousted Kevin McCarthy.
Scalise's announcement comes a day after McCarthy was removed from the role on Tuesday in a vote of 216-210. Following that, Gaetz and other House Republicans have suggested that the House majority leader would be an acceptable replacement for the ousted Republican leader.
House Speaker Race
In announcing his candidacy, Scalise said it was more crucial now to mend the deep wounds within the Republican Conference. He said lawmakers should focus on their objectives to get back to work for the millions of people relying on them.
Scalise touted his track record of bringing together diverse viewpoints within the Republican Conference to build consensus where others thought it was impossible. The development came after House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan announced that he was also seeking the position of House speaker in a separate letter to his Republican colleagues, as per the Western Journal.
Jordan touted his efforts to help deliver the most significant legislative accomplishment in this Congress, the strongest immigration and border enforcement bill ever. He added that he oversees and holds the current administration accountable for its actions.
On the other hand, a spokesperson for Republican Rep. Drew Ferguson of Georgia said he supported Scalise for the House speakership role. The House majority leader also received an endorsement made by Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Scalise is undergoing treatment for blood cancer and has been absent from most recent proceedings of the House. During Tuesday's vote, he wore a mask over his mouth. If the Republican successfully earned the House speaker role, he would be placed third in the presidential line of succession.
Kevin McCarthy's Replacement
Scalise became a national figure after surviving a brutal assassination attempt during a congressional baseball practice in 2017. The incident forced him to stay in the hospital for nearly 15 weeks after being shot. According to NBC News, he said that the possibility of going back and working with his colleagues kept him motivated.
The House majority leader was making calls on Wednesday morning to shore up support for a bid to replace McCarthy. He also allegedly huddled privately with the 25-person Texas GOP delegation members, the largest one in the Republican Conference.
The situation comes after Rep. Patrick McHenry took up the mantle of interim House speaker and could oversee the election of McCarthy's official replacement. Despite this, he does not have the power to run the chamber.
Under the rules of the House, McHenry "shall act as speaker pro tempore until the election of a speaker or a speaker pro tempore." However, the New York Times said the rules do not stipulate just how quickly the House needs to vote on the matter.
Related Article: Kevin McCarthy Ousted as Speaker of the House in a Historic First
