October 12, 2023
We have a lot of work to do.
United States House Majority leader Representative Steve Scalise (R-LA) after Republican representatives nominated him as their choice for House speaker.
Why It Matters: Rep. Scalise narrowly received the nomination, beating Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) in private balloting among Republicans on Wednesday. Scalise now needs to win a majority – currently 217 votes – from the entire House in order to establish himself as the next speaker following the unprecedented ousting of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) last week. Scalise is currently working to obtain enough votes to receive the majority on the House floor; “In a floor vote, Scalise would need to amass votes from almost all Republicans to overcome the Democratic opposition,” The Associated Press explains.
More About Rep. Scalise: Scalise was elected to Congress in 2008 after serving in the Louisiana State Legislature for more than 10 years; he is currently the House Majority Leader for Republicans. Scalise, who survived a 2017 shooting at a congressional baseball game practice, is battling a form of blood cancer and receiving treatment.
Republicans nominate Steve Scalise to be House speaker but struggle to unite quickly and elect him (The Associated Press)
by Emily Hooker, based in Texas
