Republican House speaker candidate Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) held a closed-door meeting of the GOP conference to address lingering concerns about his candidacy among party members.
The three-hour Oct. 12 session produced no result.
Members reported that as many as 15 to 20 Republicans haven’t yet committed to supporting the party’s nominee, more than enough to block his election.
Another listening session was expected to take place that evening, in which members would meet in smaller groups and Mr. Scalise would speak individually with holdout members.
Yet as the House remained leaderless for a 10th day, many Republicans aired frustration over the delay and urged colleagues to resolve the matter quickly.
Rushed Election
Mr. Scalise had hoped for a quick speaker election after winning the GOP nomination 113–99 over Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) on Oct. 11.
A vote in the House was scheduled for 3 p.m. on Oct. 11, less than two hours after the nominating conference.
That didn’t sit well with some Republicans.
Even some of Mr. Scalise’s strong supporters were surprised that the nominating conference was adjourned so quickly, short-circuiting any attempt to bring the group to unanimity before proceeding to a floor vote.
“So I think a lot of people … found it odd, like, ‘We’re adjourning right now? We’re not going to get to some level of confidence that we are going out with 217?’” Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) said, referring to the minimum number of votes needed to win the House election.
Others balked at the timing of the House election.
“I will not be voting for Steve Scalise on the floor this afternoon,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) wrote on X on Oct. 11.
“The House GOP should not have called a vote at 3 p.m. after finishing the [nominating] vote at 1:30 p.m. in conference. That is unacceptable and purposeful.”
The complaints point to a larger, underlying concern of some Republican members, especially those newer to Washington, who want to ensure that their voices are heard and that all members have some say in the legislative process.
To them, the hurried pace of the election undermined trust in the process.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) speaks during a House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 19, 2021. (Susan Walsh/AFP via Getty Images)
“It seems different from when we came in,” freshman Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) said on Oct. 12. “We had our initial agreement on how we’re going to disseminate power to the body. And it seems like we’re kind of going backward a little bit.”
Mr. Jordan has said that he now supports Mr. Scalise and offered to make his nomination speech on the House floor.
Mr. Jordan has asked his supporters to switch their allegiance to Mr. Scalise, but a number of them have announced their intention to carry the fight to the House floor.
Urgency to Fill the Chair
Many members are eager to elect a speaker quickly and get the House back to work, casting the stakes in near-apocalyptic terms.
“It’s a dangerous game that we’re playing,” Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said. “It just proves our adversaries right, that democracy doesn’t work. Our adversaries are watching us.”
Rep. Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) said, “We have to find someone to lead the country. We have no speaker, we have a war that just broke out in the Middle East, we have our appropriations bills due soon, and we have a country that is in chaos.”
Others downplayed the urgency, pointing out that the president is already empowered to deal with emergencies.
“The whole universe doesn’t revolve around this building,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) said. “If something happens, we can act.”
Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) said, “There is $2 billion worth of stuff sitting in Israel right now. There’s an aircraft carrier sitting off the coast that the president has the authority to move. The president does not need to come to us until after 30 days, according to the War Powers Act. There’s no reason to get all panicked.”
Other Possibilities
Some members who aren’t opposed to Mr. Scalise believe that he can’t get the 217 votes needed to win the election.
“There are people from all ranges of ideology across the conference saying, ‘I can’t yet vote for Steve,’ and some are saying outright, ‘There’s no way I will,” Mr. Davidson said.
Objections to Mr. Scalise range from the uncertainty of his health, as he’s currently fighting multiple myeloma, to his history in leadership during a time when the national debt grew rapidly to his having spoken to a white supremacist group in 2002.
Mr. Scalise has said that he didn’t know the group’s affiliation before accepting the invitation.
“The reality is that if it’s not going to be Steve Scalise, we need to figure out who it is,” Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) said. “At the end of the day, I would be happy to support Jim Jordan or Steve Scalise—or maybe there’s another person—but we just need to get it done.”
Several members told The Epoch Times that giving Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) additional powers wasn’t under consideration.
“That’s not facilitated in the Constitution,” Rep. John Duarte (R-Calif.) said.
Members were reluctant to predict how long the selection process would take, but some told The Epoch Times that they’re prepared to remain in Washington over the weekend, indicating that a GOP consensus could be days away.
Ryusuke Abe contributed to this report.
What role will Rep. Scalise’s ability to address concerns and secure support play in his chances of becoming the next House Speaker
However, the speaker election was postponed as Rep. Scalise worked to shore up support among party members.
The delay in selecting a new speaker has left the House in a state of limbo, with crucial legislative decisions on hold. Members are growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress and are eager for a resolution.
Concerns Over Scalise
The concerns over Rep. Scalise’s candidacy stem from his involvement in a 2014 controversy where he spoke at a gathering hosted by a white supremacist organization.
Although Rep. Scalise has disavowed the group and its beliefs, some members remain skeptical and have reservations about supporting him as the party’s nominee for speaker.
These concerns, along with others relating to Rep. Scalise’s leadership style and policy positions, have led to the lack of commitment from a significant number of Republicans.
Efforts to Address Concerns
Recognizing the importance of securing the support of these holdout members, Rep. Scalise initiated a series of closed-door meetings to address their concerns directly.
The Oct. 12 session, which lasted for three hours, was one such attempt to bring together party members and facilitate discussions about the speaker election.
However, no clear consensus was reached during the meeting, and the lingering concerns persisted. As a result, another listening session was scheduled for later that evening, where small groups of members would have the opportunity to speak with Rep. Scalise individually.
The Call for Action
As the House continues to be without a leader for the tenth day, frustration among Republicans is mounting.
Multiple party members have called for a speedy resolution of the speaker election, emphasizing the need for the House to have strong and decisive leadership during this critical time.
Without a clear leader, legislative progress is being hindered, and important issues are being put on hold.
Republicans are urging their fellow colleagues to set aside their differences and come to a decision promptly, so that the work of the House can resume without further delay.
The Path Forward
With the speaker election postponed and concerns still looming, it remains uncertain how and when the House will select its next leader.
Rep. Scalise’s ability to address the reservations of party members and secure their support will be crucial to his chances of becoming the next House speaker.
The continued meetings and discussions will play a significant role in building consensus and alleviating concerns.
Ultimately, it is important for the Republican Party to present a united front and move forward with the speaker election, ensuring that the House can effectively carry out its legislative duties.
Only time will tell how the situation unfolds and whether a resolution can be reached to fill the leadership void in the House.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
