Scalise drops House speaker bid a day after winning GOP nomination. What happens now?
The House majority leader was the GOP's choice to succeed Kevin McCarthy, except he did not have enough Republican votes to seal the deal
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), chosen as the speaker-designee by his House Republican conference on Wednesday, ended his bid for the top spot late Thursday, acknowledging he did not have the 217 votes to win the gavel. The House has been without a speaker and unable to conduct business since a group of GOP hardliners forced the ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) nine days ago.
Scalise had spent the past 36 hours "working furiously to secure the votes" from GOP colleagues who backed rival speaker candidate Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) in Wednesday's 113-99 internal Republican ballot, The Associated Press reported. But after hours of closed-door meetings on Thursday, it became clear the numbers just didn't line up for Scalise.
Scalise did not endorse another candidate. Asked if he would support Jordan, he said the speaker shouldn't be someone "doing it for themselves and their own personal interests."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Scalise's surprise exit from the race left the "House leaderless and the GOP in chaos," publicly "trading recriminations about the disarray in which they found themselves," The New York Times reported. "They planned a Friday morning meeting to discuss how to move forward." Many Republicans openly pondered "whether their fractured conference is capable of electing anyone as speaker," The Washington Post added.
"We should just have a lottery. If you lose, you have to be speaker," Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) quipped on X, formerly Twitter.
Jordan, the candidate endorsed by former President Donald Trump, also doesn't appear to have enough support to win the speaker's gavel. McCarthy is widely seen as unlikely to stage a successful comeback, and no other Republican has emerged as a viable Plan D, though Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) is broadly liked across the caucus, the Post reported. Congressional parliamentarians agree that empowering unelected Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) to conduct any legislative business other than electing a new speaker — funding the government to avert a shutdown in November, for example, or approving emergency aid for Israel — would require a contentious vote of the full House.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
The Pentagon faces an uncertain future with Trump
Talking Point The president-elect has nominated conservative commentator Pete Hegseth to lead the Defense Department
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
This is what you should know about State Department travel advisories and warnings
In Depth Stay safe on your international adventures
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
'All Tyson-Paul promised was spectacle and, in the end, that's all we got'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Trump victorious: 'a political comeback for the ages'
In Depth The president-elect will be able to wield a 'powerful mandate'
By The Week UK Published
-
Usha Vance: a political spouse with a 'conspicuous resume'
In the Spotlight The new second lady plays a behind-the-scenes role
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
The GOP is renewing its focus on the abortion pill
In the Spotlight Three Republican-led states are taking another crack at suing the FDA over the abortion pill, mifepristone
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Is Labour risking the 'special relationship'?
Today's Big Question Keir Starmer forced to deny Donald Trump's formal complaint that Labour staffers are 'interfering' to help Harris campaign
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'People want to understand food — but only to a point'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Donald Trump's health care plan would retain the status quo
The Explainer The Republican Party is still having difficulty formulating concrete health care proposals
By David Faris Published
-
'It does signal a turning point for American workers'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What might be next for Trump if he loses the 2024 election?
Today's Big Question The former president has said he will likely not run again in 2028
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Last updated