Posted on 10/12/2023 1:48:16 AM PDT by RandFan
Speaker-designate Steve Scalise (R-La.) is struggling to win the support he will need to be elected to the top spot on the House floor, signaling what could be a sequel to his predecessor’s fight to win the gavel in January.
Scalise scored a victory on Wednesday by defeating House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) in the conference’s internal vote to become the GOP nominee for Speaker. But the tally was a slim 113-99 victory, with around a dozen votes for others or “present” — and even after Jordan swung his support to Scalise following the vote, it was unclear if his supporters would do the same.
At least seven Republicans say they plan to back someone other than Scalise; at least six others say they are undecided; and some have declined to comment on who they will stand behind — enough resistance to deny Scalise the Speakership on the House floor.
Democrats are all expected to unite behind Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as their preferred Speaker, just as they did in lockstep through 15 ballots in January. That means Scalise, just like deposed Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), can only afford a handful of Republican defections.
But a second floor fight for the Speakership — a sequel to McCarthy’s marathon battle in January — would come with a dangerous backdrop: a war in Israel and a November government funding deadline, both of which loom over the divided GOP conference.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
They will cite the crisis in the ME as the reason.
I know Jim Jordan would be strong on Israel etc but would Steve Scalise ???
Or would he felt he ‘owed’ the Ds for voting for him ???
SIGH
Agree. Democrats would never risk the off chance one of them gets elected because of Republican in-fighting. It’s not how they operate.
Scalise was a McCarthy lieutenant. I don’t trust him. So mad that Jordan didn’t get the votes to run. Tells you what the GOP thinks of conservatives.
Me neither. He presents as a RINO to me.
total faggotry getting the nom via secrecy — #ing RINOs
I imagine Nancy Pelosi will have his back.
I would disagree....Dem’s would see this as a massive point of weakness if Scalise doesn’t get the numbers.
Personally, I think the Speaker position now needs to be a non-voting authority simply to apply rules/standards. The GOP needs one authority for the party, that doesn’t spend time doing useless Speaker work. Where you find such a person? Unknown.
I’ll predict that this theatrical show continues for another week minimum.
From one rino to another. The deep state goes very deep.
Jordan voted the same way as Scalise recently.
Scalise has a moderate voting record and will be inclined to act the same way as Speaker, to the discontent of some GOP members and of most of the GOP base. Like McCarthy, Scalise’s most direct and secure path to enough votes to become Speaker is to make the kinds of express promises to conservatives that McCarthy made. Yet doing so would put Scalise at risk of suffering a fate similar to what happened to McCarthy.
I predict that Republicans will do their usual; that being snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Democrats will continue to vote in lock step then after several votes a few Republican RINOS will cross over and elect the Dem nominee. Stupid is as stupid does…..
So, you’re against secret ballots. That’s very American.
Democrats see GOP disarray during a crisis as a winning election issue. They have much less interest in solving the crisis.
Jordan just doesn’t seem to want the job. I think he enjoys being the loud mouth (not unlike Gowdy) without having to manage anyone.
Byron Donalds doesn’t have seniority (that’s a plus, in my book) but he sure is a very good speaker who thinks well on his feet and he’s a conservative and still quite popular!
“Like McCarthy, Scalise’s most direct and secure path to enough votes to become Speaker is to make the kinds of express promises to conservatives that McCarthy made. Yet doing so would put Scalise at risk of suffering a fate similar to what happened to McCarthy.”
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McCarthy would still be speaker had he not broken his promises. If Scalise thinks he’s going to lie to get the position, he could very well end up like McCarthy.
Do you think Scalise will be promised “protection” by Pelosi so he can agree to rules he knows he will break?
Jordan voted for McCarthy.
While he has a 90%+ score, he can still vote Swampy when it counts. If I recollect, he did so earlier this year in the huge spending bill (CR?).
As far as I'm concerned: It's. All. Of. Them.
Well, give him a couple votes, and when he can’t do it, you should step aside, and let Jordan have a shot again. Maybe the house should vote and leave McHenry as full speaker for 30 days so that the house can get some action going forward.
When the conservative creds of both Jordan and Scalise are in the 50s, I’m not impressed with either one.
Put Donalds out there. He’s close to 100% voting conservative. The fact that he doesn’t have seniority is good; he hasn’t had the time to forge unholy alliances with the deep state.
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