House Republicans have chosen Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) as their nominee to replace former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), signaling a desire for continuity in the party’s leadership team rather than a shift to the right with a victory by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).
While Scalise’s selection increases the likelihood of him becoming the next speaker, it remains uncertain whether Republicans will unite to secure his victory in a formal House vote.
With a slim majority over Democrats in the House, Republicans would need 217 out of their 221 members to vote for the GOP candidate for him to win. McCarthy’s expulsion from the speaker position occurred when eight discontented Republicans joined forces with Democrats last week.
The aftermath of that vote resulted in bitter infighting, causing a delay in the selection of the House GOP nominee.
Scalise entered Congress in 2008 after serving in the Louisiana legislature and steadily climbed the ranks of party leadership. He became the third-ranking House Republican as whip in 2013 and moved up to the second-in-command majority leader position after Republicans regained control of the House in the 2022 elections.
He is also known for being shot in 2017 during a practice session for the annual congressional baseball charity game. Although he made a recovery, the incident left him relying on a cane.
Scalise disclosed in August that he has multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. While he stated in late September that his chemotherapy had significantly reduced the cancer, concerns about his health have surfaced as an issue surrounding his bid for the speakership.
In addition, Scalise once described himself as “David Duke without the baggage,” referencing the former white supremacist Louisiana politician. The New York Times reported that Scalise made this comment to a local newspaper reporter.
Furthermore, Scalise accepted a speaking engagement from a Duke aide in 2002, but he claimed not to have known beforehand that the event was organized by a white nationalist group. He stated that he would not have accepted the offer if he had been aware.
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