House Republicans have nominated Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), the current House Majority Leader, as their next candidate to become speaker of the House, after removing Rep. Kevin McCarthy from the position.
In a secret ballot at the Capitol, House Republicans chose Scalise as their nominee for speaker, with 113 votes to Jim Jordan's 99, while eight members voted for other candidates, and three voted present.
Scalise will now face House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), the Democratic speaker nominee selected on Tuesday night, on the House floor.
The timing of the full House speaker vote remains uncertain. McCarthy leaving the Speakers offices Wednesday around 5 p.m. ET told reporters that it “doesn’t seem like” there will be a vote Wednesday night.
When Republicans cast their votes for the speaker on the House floor, they will require at least 217 votes to secure Scalise as speaker. However, a number of Republicans told Scripps News that they would continue to support Jordan, who faced Scalise in the internal party vote but lost, which could complicate Scalise's path to the speakership.
"The House GOP Conference is broken. So we oust Kevin McCarthy and all other leaders are rewarded with promotions? How does that make sense or change anything? We need to chart a different path forward. In the meantime, I plan to vote for Jim Jordan on the floor," Rep. Lloyd Smucker said.
Scalise assumed office in Congress in 2008 following his tenure in the Louisiana State Legislature from 1996 to 2008.
