WASHINGTON (OSV News) — House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., was nominated by his fellow Republicans for speaker of the House Oct. 11, but questions remained whether Scalise can get enough votes from his party to become speaker in a vote before the whole House.
Scalise defeated House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, in a 113-99 vote among Republicans, according to multiple reports, several days after the ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
But the House went into recess later the same day without holding a floor vote on the speakership, as it became clear that Scalise did not yet have 217 Republican votes on the floor to become speaker, assuming every Democrat votes for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
McCarthy was ousted as speaker Oct. 3, after eight House Republicans, prompted by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., joined with Democrats to remove him from the role in the first such instance in U.S. history, leaving House Republicans without a clear successor to lead the chamber’s Republican majority.
A contentious process to elect a new speaker ensued, with Scalise and Jordan emerging as the top candidates.
Steve Scalise, a Catholic
Scalise, who is Catholic, was shot and wounded in a 2017 shooting at a congressional baseball practice and is currently battling cancer. He alluded to overcoming challenges in a letter to colleagues announcing a bid for speaker.
Former President Donald Trump, who is in the midst of his third bid for the White House, first signaled he may be interested in the speakership temporarily, as the speaker is not required to be a member of Congress, but ultimately endorsed Jordan.
Scalise told reporters that the first resolution he would pass as speaker would “make it clear that we stand with Israel.”
“We need to make sure we’re sending a message to people all throughout the world, that the House is open,” he said.
In an interview earlier Oct. 11 with Fox News, Scalise said, “Congress cannot work right now without a Speaker, but the world is still moving, and it’s working, and it’s moving in a very bad direction.”
“We’ve got to get the House back to work, there are real things that need to be done,” he said, including measures to support Israel. “There’s real work that needs to be done. Our members, I think, have a stronger resolve than ever to get back to work. I want that work to start today. Let’s go do this.”
Jordan reportedly offered to nominate Scalise in a floor vote, but it remains to be seen whether that will satisfy detractors. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, an ally of both Trump and McCarthy, cited Scalise’s cancer battle in comments critical of his nomination on social media.
But Gaetz told reporters he would support Scalise.
“I can’t wait to go vote for him,” he said. “Long live Speaker Scalise.”
Catholics concerns and the speaker race
The speaker race could have an impact on Catholic concerns; Congress averted a shutdown Sept. 30 by passing a brief continuing resolution that funds the government at current spending levels through Nov. 17. However, the House cannot conduct other business until it elects a new speaker, and a void in that role reduces the time lawmakers have to prevent a shutdown later this year. Catholic advocacy groups and the U.S. bishops expressed concern that a government shutdown could impact the poor and vulnerable, as well as ministry to U.S. military personnel.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the D.C.-based Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, offered her congratulations to Scalise in a statement, calling him a “pro-life stalwart and our longtime friend.”
“We thank our friend Rep. Jim Jordan for working to unify the entire House GOP Conference,” Dannenfelser added. “The Republican-led House is the only bulwark in Washington against the Democrats’ agenda of limitless abortion on demand. It is vital to the pro-life movement that we have a strong united pro-life House fighting against Democrat extremism and casting a vision for pro-life leadership in this new era as we work to save unborn children and serve women. We urge the entire GOP Conference to unite behind Steve Scalise as speaker.”
