Uncertainty over new Speaker despite Scalise win over Jordan – live

Rep Steve Scalise has defeated Donald Trump-endorsed Rep Jim Jordan to narrowly win the Republican Party’s nomination to be Speaker of the House.

The Majority Leader and Louisiana congressman bested the firebrand conservative Ohio lawmaker in a 113-99 vote to replace Kevin McCarthy.

Party members voted behind closed doors on Wednesday morning amid questions as to whether any candidate has enough support to take the gavel.

A full chamber House of Representatives vote did not take place immediately, and it could still be some time before a speaker takes the gavel. In January, the House went through a staggering 15 votes before Mr McCarthy finally surpassed the vote threshold. Just five votes against him could put Mr Scalise in a similar position.

Mr Scalise will now need to rally support of those who backed his rival. Mr Jordan, meanwhile, will reportedly give him a hand by formally nominating Mr Scalise on the House floor when it’s finally time for a vote.

Key Points

• Breaking: Steve Scalise defeats Jim Jordan for Republican speaker nomination

• McCarthy tells supporters not to put his name in for speaker

• Jordan says he wants 217 votes before going to House floor

• Scalise praises ‘great’ forum but doesn’t confirm who has the votes

• Matt Gaetz calls McCarthy’s insults a ‘death rattle’ as House GOP remains in disarray

Marjorie Taylor Greene reveals why Steve Scalise won’t get her vote

11:45 , Rachel Sharp

At Romney-Ryan donor summit, disaffected Republicans seek Trump alternatives

11:15 , Andrew Feinberg

The last Republicans to top a presidential ticket before Donald Trump’s takeover of the GOP are still holding out hope that a more palatable alternative to the ex-president will present itself before nominating contests for next year’s election are complete.

On Tuesday, Utah Senator Mitt Romney and former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan convened a high-level confab in Park City, Utah to discuss foreign policy, technology and business matters at this year’s edition of the annual E2 summit.

Among the attendees will be four of the candidates who’ve been vying — thus far unsuccessfully — to gain traction against Mr Trump in next year’s GOP primary: ex-UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, former vice president Mike Pence, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

Read more...

Disaffected Republicans seek alternatives to Trump at Romney-Ryan donor summit

Steve Scalise still faces uphill battle to become next speaker

10:45 , Rachel Sharp

Rep Steve Scalise is now facing an uphill battle after he won the Republican nomination to become the next speaker of the House of Representatives.

The Majority Leader and Louisiana congressman defeated Donald Trump-endorsed Rep Jim Jordan to narrowly win the Republican Party’s nomination on Wednesday in a 113-99 vote to replace Kevin McCarthy.

Party members voted behind closed doors on Wednesday morning.

But the party declined to call a vote of the whole chamber later that day as questions remain as to whether he has enough support from his party to take the gavel.

Mr Scalise can only afford to lose four Republican votes to take the role.

Several Republicans including far-right MAGA lawmakers Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene have already said that they will still vote for Mr Jordan on the House floor.

Ms Green claimed that she wouldn’t vote for Mr Scalise due to his health issues.

It could be some time before the House has a speaker again. In January, the House went through a staggering 15 votes before Mr McCarthy finally surpassed the vote threshold.

Profile: Steve Scalise — the GOP leader with sights on speaker’s gavel

10:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Steve Scalise, a longtime member of House Republican leadership, is running for speaker following the dramatic ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Despite serving as House majority leader under Mr McCarthy, the Louisiana Republican has a strained relationship with the Californian. In 2018, Mr Scalise said he was interested in the speakership after the upcoming departure of then-Speaker Paul Ryan if Mr McCarthy couldn’t get the support he needed, with the relationship between the two men subsequently taking a turn for the worse.

The 58-year-old Mr Scalise served in the Louisiana state House and had a very brief tenure in the state Senate before he joined the US House in 2008, picking up Bobby Jindal’s seat when he became governor.

Grabbing the top post of the conservative group known as the Republican Study Committee before becoming majority whip in 2014, he served in that post for almost a decade before becoming majority leader earlier this year.

Mr Scalise and his top rival for the speakership, hardliner Jim Jordan, both voted to back objections to the Electoral College results that certified the victory of President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

Continued...

What kind of opposition does Scalise face?

09:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Haley Talbot of CNN has been tracking the no votes against Steve Scalise for speaker and those House Republicans who currently say they are undecided, and things look to be trending in the wrong direction, with nine no votes and seven undecideds.

The current House Majority Leader has a lot of work to do if he wants to win the gavel anytime soon as he can only lose four GOP votes...

Congressman says Scalise won’t say 2020 election was fair because of ‘penalty’ from Trump voters

08:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Steve Scalise was one of the 147 Republicans who voted to overturn the 2020 election results – as was his chief rival for House Speaker, Jim Jordan.

And they still can’t fully speak their mind about the 2020 election results, according to a Colorado congressman and fellow member of the GOP.

“There’s a large group of Trump followers in this country that would disagree with that and there would be a political penalty for saying such a thing,” Rep Ken Buck told MSNBC on Wednesday.

Elise Stefanik takes shot at Republicans seeking leadership positions amid speaker race

06:15 , Oliver O'Connell

New York congresswoman Elise Stefanik took a not-so-subtle shot at her Republican colleagues who are seeking new leadership positions amid the chaotic effort to elect a new House Speaker.

“Congratulations to our colleague and friend the Legend from Louisiana @SteveScalise for earning the support from the House Republican Conference as the Speaker-Designate,” she wrote on X on Wednesday. “Now is NOT the time to be campaigning for other leadership positions, House Republicans must work to unite to elect the Speaker - and that is my focus as Conference Chair at this important time.”

Kevin Hern of Oklahoma and Tom Emmer of Minnesota have both announced plans to run for House Majority Leader, the post Mr Scalise will vacate if he’s elected Speaker of the House.

What does Trump’s ignored speaker endorsement say about the GOP?

04:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Is Donald Trump losing his hold on the Republican Party?

His endorsement for the next Speaker of the House seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

Last week, the former president endorsed Jim Jordan as his pick for the next House leader, writing on social media last week that the Ohio rep would be “a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete & Total Endorsement!”

The GOP caucus doesn’t seem to agree, as the majority of the party now wants Steve Scalise as the next House Speaker.

The diverging opinions might not mean too much, though.

Mr Trump remains the most popular 2024 candidate for Republican voters by far, and Mr Scalise isn’t exactly a Trump critic.

He’s among the 147 GOP legislators who voted to overturn the 2020 election results.

House enters recess, as speaker vote remains TBD

03:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The House of Representatives is in recess, meaning a vote on Speaker of the House remains unlikely for today.

Steve Scalise is the Republican Party’s pick for the position, but multiple GOP lawmakers have signalled their intention to vote against him. He can only afford four defections, or else the party will have to engage in another multi-ballot effort to elect a House leader who can win a majority.

Earlier: Scalise triumphs over Trump-endorsed Jordan for GOP House speaker nomination

02:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Majority leader Steve Scalise has defeated Ohio Rep Jim Jordan to win the Republican Party nomination to be speaker of the House of Representatives.

The vote was 113-99 in a closed-door meeting on Wednesday morning. A loud cheer was heard by reporters as the result was announced.

Mr Scalise will now need to muster 217 votes on the floor of the House to become speaker and second in line to the presidency. A full chamber vote previously scheduled for 3pm ET on Wednesday has been delayed.

This will require the backing of almost all of the GOP conference — just five members could block him from winning the gavel.

The triumph of Mr Scalise is especially notable given that he defeated Donald Trump’s endorsed candidate for the role – Mr Jordan. His nomination follows the recent dramatic ousting of speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Continued...

Scalise beats Trump-backed Jordan for Republican speaker nomination

Conservative Republican who deposed McCarthy grills Jordan and Scalise about the 2020 election

01:15 , Oliver O'Connell

A conservative Republican who voted to oust Kevin McCarthy grilled both of the Republican candidates for speaker about whether Preisdent Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election of the House in a closed-door meeting.

Rep Ken Buck (R-CO), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, told reporters on Wednesday that he grilled Rep Jim Jordan (R-OH) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) about whether the 2020 presidential election was stolen.

Both Mr Jordan and Mr Scalise voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results on January 6. Mr Buck voted to certify. Mr Buck said it was important to have clarity about such an important topic. Politico first reported Mr Buck’s question on Tuesday evening.

“They weren’t direct, they evaded the question,” Mr Buck told reporters. As a result, Mr Buck said that he voted “present” during the closed-door session to consider Mr Jordan and Mr Scalise.

Eric Garcia reports.

Republican who deposed McCarthy grills Jordan and Scalise about the 2020 election

No speaker vote today...

Thursday 12 October 2023 00:15 , Graeme Massie

The House will not vote on electing a new speaker on Wednesday, despite Steve Scalise being chosen by Republicans behind closed doors to become their nominee.

Lawmakers were expected to meet on the floor on Wednesday afternoon before recessing, reported CNN.

Mr Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, was chosen by his GOP colleagues over Ohio lawmaker Jim Jordan to replace Kevin McCarthy, who was kicked out of the job by his party last week.

Mr Scalise will now have to win a floor vote in the House with a majority of the whole chamber to become speaker.

He will require 217 votes to become speaker, meaning he can only lose four GOP votes if all Democrats vote against him.

Read the full story...

House will not hold Speaker vote today, say reports

Recap: What’s next in the race for Speaker of the House?

Wednesday 11 October 2023 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Steve Scalise has cleared a major hurdle with today’s behind-the-scenes GOP vote, but that’s not the end of the race for Speaker of the House.

Now, the full House of Representatives will vote on his candidacy.

Republicans have a majority in the House, but only a slim one; to get the necessary 217 votes, Mr Scalise can only lose up to four GOP members.

Multiple Republicans, including Max Miller of Ohio and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, have already indicated their desire to vote for Jim Jordan on the House floor.

Rep Nancy Mace voting for Jim Jordan on House floor

Wednesday 11 October 2023 22:59 , Oliver O'Connell

“I personally cannot, in good conscience, vote for someone who attended a white supremacist conference and compared himself to David Duke,” Rep Nancy Mace told CNN’s Jake Tapper. “I would be doing an enormous disservice to the voters I represent in South Carolina if I were to do that.”

Ms Mace also had this bizarre conversation with Tapper:

Majorie Taylor Greene fundraising off vote for Jim Jordan on House floor

Wednesday 11 October 2023 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Marjorie Taylor Greene has sent out a fundraising email touting that she’s “voting for JIM JORDAN on the House Floor” when the speaker vote comes up and not Steve Scalise.

She leaves the door open for Mr Scalise saying that she likes and respects him, but says she wants “a Speaker who is able to put their full efforts into defeating the Communist Democrats and Save America”.

Looks like he has some negotiating to do...

McCarthy, veteran of 15 votes to become speaker, backs Scalise and offer advice

Wednesday 11 October 2023 22:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Kevin McCarthy

No word on when vote will take place

Wednesday 11 October 2023 22:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Voices: Who the hell wants to be a GOP speaker anyway?

Wednesday 11 October 2023 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes from Capitol Hill:

...beyond the current fight, there is one question nobody is asking: Why in God’s name would any rational Republican member of Congress take the job? Any study of the most recent Republican speakers shows the job requires making promises that are impossible to keep and inevitably infuriating enough of the conference that you leave in disgrace.

Read more...

Who the hell wants to be a GOP speaker anyway?

...but that number is likely already out of date

Wednesday 11 October 2023 21:47 , Oliver O'Connell

Haley Talbot of CNN has been tracking the no votes against Steve Scalise for speaker and those House Republicans who currently say they are undecided, and things look to be trending in the wrong direction, with nine no votes and seven undecideds.

The current House Majority Leader has a lot of work to do if he wants to win the gavel anytime soon...

Watch: Ken Bucks says Scalise faces seven hard ‘nos’ and seven ‘undecideds'

Wednesday 11 October 2023 21:41 , Oliver O'Connell

Congressman says Scalise won’t say 2020 election was fair because of ‘penalty’ from Trump voters

Wednesday 11 October 2023 21:20 , Josh Marcus

Steve Scalise was one of the 147 Republicans who voted to overturn the 2020 election results – as was his chief rival for House Speaker, Jim Jordan.

And they still can’t fully speak their mind about the 2020 election results, according to a Colorado congressman and fellow member of the GOP.

“There’s a large group of Trump followers in this country that would disagree with that and there would be a political penalty for saying such a thing,” Rep Ken Buck told MSNBC on Wednesday.

What does Trump’s ignored speaker endorsement say about the GOP?

Wednesday 11 October 2023 21:00 , Josh Marcus

Is Donald Trump losing his hold on the Republican Party?

His endorsement for the next Speaker of the House seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

Last week, the former president endorsed Jim Jordan as his pick for the next House leader, writing on social media last week that the Ohio rep would be “a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete & Total Endorsement!”

The GOP caucus doesn’t seem to agree, as the majority of the party now wants Steve Scalise as the next House Speaker.

The diverging opinions might not mean too much, though.

Mr Trump remains the most popular 2024 candidate for Republican voters by far, and Mr Scalise isn’t exactly a Trump critic.

He’s among the 147 GOP legislators who voted to overturn the 2020 election results.

Elise Stefanik takes shot at Republicans seeking leadership positions amid speaker race

Wednesday 11 October 2023 20:41 , Josh Marcus

New York congresswoman Elise Stefanik took a not-so-subtle shot at her Republican colleagues who are seeking new leadership positions amid the chaotic effort to elect a new House Speaker.

“Congratulations to our colleague and friend the Legend from Louisiana @SteveScalise for earning the support from the House Republican Conference as the Speaker-Designate,” she wrote on X on Wednesday. “Now is NOT the time to be campaigning for other leadership positions, House Republicans must work to unite to elect the Speaker - and that is my focus as Conference Chair at this important time.”

Kevin Hern of Oklahoma and Tom Emmer of Minnesota have both announced plans to run for House Majority Leader, the post Mr Scalise will vacate if he’s elected Speaker of the House.

House enters recess, as speaker vote remains TBD

Wednesday 11 October 2023 20:40 , Josh Marcus

The House of Representatives is in recess, meaning a vote on Speaker of the House remains unlikely for today.

Steve Scalise is the Republican Party’s pick for the position, but multiple GOP lawmakers have signaled their intention to vote against him. He can only afford four defections, or else the party will have to engage in another multi-ballot effort to elect a House leader who can win a majority.

Conservative Republican who deposed McCarthy grills Jordan and Scalise about the 2020 election

Wednesday 11 October 2023 20:20 , Josh Marcus

A conservative Republican who voted to oust Kevin McCarthy grilled both of the Republican candidates for speaker about whether Preisdent Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election of the House in a closed-door meeting.

Rep Ken Buck (R-CO), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, told reporters on Wednesday that he grilled Rep Jim Jordan (R-OH) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) about whether the 2020 presidential election was stolen.

Both Mr Jordan and Mr Scalise voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results on January 6. Mr Buck voted to certify. Mr Buck said it was important to have clarity about such an important topic. Politico first reported Mr Buck’s question on Tuesday evening.

“They weren’t direct, they evaded the question,” Mr Buck told reporters. As a result, Mr Buck said that he voted “present” during the closed-door session to consider Mr Jordan and Mr Scalise.

Eric Garcia reports.

Republican who deposed McCarthy grills Jordan and Scalise about the 2020 election

House will not hold Speaker vote today, say reports

Wednesday 11 October 2023 20:07 , Josh Marcus

The House will not vote on electing a new speaker today despite Steve Scalise being chosen by Republicans behind closed doors to become their nominee.

Lawmakers were expected to meet on the floor on Wednesday afternoon before recessing, reported CNN.

Graeme Massie is following the details for The Independent.

What’s next in the race for Speaker of the House?

Wednesday 11 October 2023 19:50 , Josh Marcus

Steve Scalise has cleared a major hurdle with today’s behind-the-scenes GOP vote, but that’s not the end of the race for Speaker of the House.

Now, the full House of Representatives will vote on his candidacy.

Republicans have a majority in the House, but only a slim one; to get the necessary 217 votes, Mr Scalise can only lose up to four GOP members.

Multiple Republicans, including Max Miller of Ohio and Lauren Boebert of Colorado, have already indicated their desire to vote for Jim Jordan on the House floor.

Speaker vote won’t occur today and Jim Jordan will support Scalise: report

Wednesday 11 October 2023 19:35 , Josh Marcus

The state of play has already changed in the race for Speaker of the House.

A vote on Steve Scalise’s Republican-backed candidacy will reportedly not take place today, according to CNN.

However, when the vote does occur, his rival Jim Jordan will reportedly nominate the Louisiana Republican, potentially sparing the GOP from another humiliating internecine battle in the House.

Scalise beats Trump-backed Jordan for Republican speaker nomination

Wednesday 11 October 2023 19:33 , Josh Marcus

Majority Leader Steve Scalise has defeated Ohio Rep Jim Jordan to win the Republican Party nomination to be Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The vote was 113-99 in a closed-door meeting on Wednesday morning. A loud cheer was heard by reporters as the result was announced.

Mr Scalise will now need to muster 217 votes on the floor of the House to become speaker and second in line to the presidency. A full chamber vote is scheduled for 3pm ET this afternoon.

This will require the backing of almost all of the GOP conference — just five members could block him from winning the gavel.

Oliver O’Connell is following all the details.

Scalise beats Trump-backed Jordan for Republican speaker nomination

Jim Jordan offered chilly half-endorsement of Scalise during vote: report

Wednesday 11 October 2023 19:18 , Josh Marcus

During today’s Republican vote to nominate their pick for the next Speaker of the House, Jim Jordan reportedly offered a kind of mixed endorsement to Steve Scalise, who won his party’s nomination to lead the lower house.

“We can’t go to the floor unless we have 217,” Mr Jordan reportedly said. “If it’s Scalise that can get there, I’ll be for him.”

Not quite a ringing endorsement.

Even with the party nod to Mr Scalise, it’s not a sure bet that he’ll become the next speaker.

The Louisiana Republican only got 113 of his fellow GOP-ers’ votes today, well short of the 217 total votes Mr Scalise would need to formally win the speaker’s gavel on the House floor in a full vote.

Scalise invokes Israel war in remarks after nod for speaker

Wednesday 11 October 2023 19:05 , Josh Marcus

Republican infighting may seem like a domestic issue, but Rep Steve Scalise, whose colleagues nominated him to be the next Speaker of the House, said the process has impacts on a global scale, given ongoing crises like the Hamas-Israel war.

“First I want to thank my House Republican colleagues for just designating me as the speaker,” he told reporters after the secret internal vote on Wednesday. “Obviously we still have work to do. We’re going to have to go upstairs on the House floor and resolve this and get the House open again.”

One reason why the House needs to get back in gear, Mr Scalise continued, was because “we see how dangerous of a world it is, how things can change so quickly.”

“Our first resolution that we pass under Speaker Steve Scalise will make it clear that we stand with Israel,” he said.

He pointed to how the House has passed spending bills in recent days containing military funding for Israel which remain stalled in the Senate.

He also suggested that the suprise cross-border attack from Hamas on Israel underscored the need for border security changes in the US.

Watch live - Scalise speaks after winning speaker nomination

Wednesday 11 October 2023 18:42 , Oliver O'Connell

Wednesday 11 October 2023 18:42 , Oliver O'Connell

Breaking: Steve Scalise defeats Jim Jordan for Republican speaker nomination

Wednesday 11 October 2023 18:10 , Oliver O'Connell

Rep Steve Scalise has defeated Rep Jim Jordan to win the Republican nomination to be speaker of the House.

The vote was 113-99 according to reports from outside the closed-door meeting. A loud cheer was heard by reporters.

Mr Scalise will still need to muster 217 votes on the floor of the House to become Speaker and second in line to the presidency. This will require the backing of almost all of the GOP conference — just five members could block him winning the gavel.

The triumph of Mr Scalise is especially notable given that he defeated Donald Trump’s endorsed candidate for the role...

Wednesday 11 October 2023 17:59 , Oliver O'Connell

What’s the Democrat take on GOP candidates for speaker?

Wednesday 11 October 2023 17:44 , Oliver O'Connell

NBC News’s Ali Vitali reports that when asked about Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan as speaker of the House, Democratic Chair Pete Aguilar said that the former is more “affable” and someone Democrats can talk with, whereas (speaking as a former member of the House select committee investigating January 6): “Jim Jordan is dangerous to our democracy.”

Could we see multiple rounds of speaker votes on House floor as with McCarthy?

Wednesday 11 October 2023 17:28 , Oliver O'Connell

Could we see multiple rounds of speaker votes on the House floor as when Kevin McCarthy was the Republican Party nominee back in January? It looks like a distinct possibility.

House GOP now voting on Scalise v Jordan for speaker

Wednesday 11 October 2023 17:15 , Oliver O'Connell

House Republicans are now voting on Steve Scalise v Jim Jordan for conference nominee for speaker.

The vote is a secret ballot.

Rule change motion tabled by House GOP

Wednesday 11 October 2023 16:58 , Oliver O'Connell

A motion to table the rule change to bring in a 217-vote threshold to nominate the speaker candidate has passed and it will now not move forward.

There were 135 votes in favour of tabling the motion and 88 against.

The vote threshold to win the nomination for speaker is 111 votes. This potentially gives a significant edge to Rep Steve Scalise.

Rep Jim Jordan has said he wanted to make sure he had 217 votes secured before going to the House floor vote. Mr Scalise has not said that.

New York GOP lawwaker introduces Santos expulsion resolution

Wednesday 11 October 2023 16:53 , Oliver O'Connell

New York Republican Rep Anthony D’Esposito is introducing an expulsion resolution to “rid the People’s House of fraudster, George Santos”.

Such a resolution would require a two-thirds majority to pass and — more pressingly — a Speaker of the House to be in place.

GOP voting to table motion on voting threshold rule change

Wednesday 11 October 2023 16:36 , Oliver O'Connell

House Republicans are now voting to kill the rule to change the voting threshold to 217 votes to nominate the speaker candidate, CNN’s Manu Raju reports, citing members. It is currently set at 111 votes.

Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News notes that if the motion to table the rule change passes, it would be a strong sign that Steve Scalise might be the next Speaker of the House.

Watch: Raskin calls out ‘chaos’ and ‘Republican mismanagement’ of House

Wednesday 11 October 2023 16:15 , Oliver O'Connell

No cell phones for GOP lawmakers in closed meeting

Wednesday 11 October 2023 16:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Scalise: ‘We’ve got to get back to work. Today, we’re going to do that'

Wednesday 11 October 2023 15:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Speaking to reporters before entering the closed GOP meeting, Rep Steve Scalise, one of the contenders for the role of speaker, said: “I’m looking forward to going in there. Obviously, we have a very important vote. It’s really, really important that this Congress get back to work. We select a Speaker, go to the House floor, get to 218 and then get the House working again.”

He continues: “And the first order of business under Speaker Steve Scalise is going to bring a strong resolution expressing support for Israel. We’ve got a very bipartisan bill, the McCaul-Meeks resolution, ready to go right away to express our support for Israel.”

Mr Scalise adds: ”We’ve got to get back to work. Today, we're going to do that. We're going to get this done.”

Watch his remarks below:

Jordan says he will support anyone who can get majority vote

Wednesday 11 October 2023 15:26 , Oliver O'Connell

Asked if he would support Steve Scalise if he wins the GOP nomination, Jim Jordan tells CNN’s Manu Raju he will support anyone who can get 217 votes.

“We’ve got to come together as a conference.”

GOP potentially looking at long day ahead as no candidate has majority

Wednesday 11 October 2023 15:23 , Oliver O'Connell

Florida Rep Kat Cammack is not optimistic about an early result from the closed-door vote.

McCarthy won’t back Scalise or Jordan as his replacement

Wednesday 11 October 2023 15:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Kevin McCarthy has urged his Republican allies not to vote for him to retake the role as speaker of the House of Representatives – while also refusing to endorse either of the two candidates Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan.

Members of the GOP gathered behind closed doors in the US Capitol on Tuesday night for a forum to try to decide who should take the gavel.

In the session, former House speaker Mr McCarthy told his party not to nominate him this time round, following his unceremonious ouster last week.

Instead, he read aloud the poem “Anyway” by Mother Teresa – curiously on the topic of forgiveness – and led the party members in a prayer before quickly exiting the forum.

Speaking to CNN after, he said: “I know a lot of them want to nominate me, I told them ‘please do not nominate me’.”

While appearing to rule himself out, he then said that he would not give an endorsement to any of his potential successors.

Continued...

Kevin McCarthy refuses to back Scalise or Jordan for House speaker

Steve Scalise nominations to come from Lucas, Hinson, James

Wednesday 11 October 2023 15:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Some members taking wait and see approach...

Wednesday 11 October 2023 15:08 , Oliver O'Connell

CNN’s Manu Raju reports:

Victoria Spartz told me she is voting “present” in the secret ballot GOP vote to nominate a speaker candidate this morning.

Rep Anthony D’Esposito told me this when asked who he is voting for in speaker race. “I’m not sure yet.” NY GOP freshmen will be a group to watch this AM.

Dan Crenshaw also told me he’s not sure who he is voting for.

Jim Jordan taps Armstrong, Houchin, Carey to nominate him

Wednesday 11 October 2023 15:06 , Oliver O'Connell

Sparse details available from closed door vote

Wednesday 11 October 2023 15:04 , Oliver O'Connell

Ohio State wrestlers says ex-coach Jim Jordan ‘doesn’t deserve’ to be speaker after ignoring sexual abuse scandal

Wednesday 11 October 2023 15:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Four former Ohio State University wrestlers have spoken out against their ex-coach Jim Jordan and his bid to become speaker of the House of Representatives.

The ex-athletes accused Rep Jordan of ignoring accusations and failing to protect them from sexual abuse by school doctor Richard Strauss, who died in 2005, when he was the team’s assistant coach in the 1980s and ‘90s.

One former wrestler, Rocky Ratliff, told NBC News that Rep Jordan “abandoned his former wrestlers.”

“Do you really want a guy in that job who chose not to stand up for his guys?” former wrestler Mike Schyck added. Is that the kind of character trait you want for a House speaker?” he asked.

Meanwhile, Dunyasha Yetts claimed that Rep Jordan “doesn’t deserve” to be speaker and that he “still has to answer for what happened to us.”

Read the full story

Profile: Jim Jordan — Conservative hellraiser and Trump’s top choice for speaker

Wednesday 11 October 2023 14:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Early Friday morning, former president Donald Trump threw his support behind Rep Jim Jordan in the race to become speaker of the House. The endorsement was not entirely surprising given Mr Jordan, an Ohio congressman, occupied the same lane in the House of Representatives that Mr Trump has as a presidential candidate and president – as an expression of conservatives who were dissatisfied with Republican leadership and a candidate who channelled their rage.

A product of the Tea Party wave and founder of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, Mr Jordan’s tenure in the House led to the ouster of former speaker John Boehner, which set the stage for Kevin McCarthy’s downfall earlier this week, despite his steadfast support for the speaker.

In addition, as previous chairman of the House Oversight Committee and now the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, he has defended Mr Trump vociferously. Fast-talking, pugnacious and prone to inflammatory rhetoric that veers into outright falsehoods, Mr Jordan often can be seen roaming the halls of the House not wearing a suit jacket.

But he also played a significant role in Mr Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election and spreading misinformation since then. He’s faced further scrutiny about whether he refused to report the sexual abuse of wrestlers he coached while at the Ohio State University.

Continued...

Who is Jim Jordan, the conservative hellraiser and Donald Trump’s choice for speaker

Profile: Steve Scalise — GOP leader seeks promotion in house speaker race

Wednesday 11 October 2023 14:20 , Gustaf Kilander

Steve Scalise, a longtime member of House Republican leadership, is running for speaker following the dramatic ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Despite serving as House majority leader under Mr McCarthy, the Louisiana Republican has a strained relationship with the Californian. In 2018, Mr Scalise said he was interested in the speakership after the upcoming departure of then-Speaker Paul Ryan if Mr McCarthy couldn’t get the support he needed, with the relationship between the two men subsequently taking a turn for the worse.

The 58-year-old Mr Scalise served in the Louisiana state House and had a very brief tenure in the state Senate before he joined the US House in 2008, picking up Bobby Jindal’s seat when he became governor.

Grabbing the top post of the conservative group known as the Republican Study Committee before becoming majority whip in 2014, he served in that post for almost a decade before becoming majority leader earlier this year.

Mr Scalise and his top rival for the speakership, hardliner Jim Jordan, both voted to back objections to the Electoral College results that certified the victory of President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

Continued...

Who is Steve Scalise? GOP leader seeks promotion in house speaker race

Here’s the math for the speaker’s race

Wednesday 11 October 2023 14:00 , Eric Garcia

Here’s the math: Typically the House has 435 members but there are two vacant seats – one Democratic seat in Rhode Island and one Republican seat in Utah – meaning there are currently 433 members.

That means anyone who wants to become speaker needs to have a total of 217 votes, barring a member of Congress being absent or voting “present.” Rep Mary Peltola (D-AK) is currently out of Congress grieving the death of her husband, winnowing the number of votes down to 432. Republicans only have 221 members in their conference, meaning that only four Republicans can break away from their peers’ anointed speaker and spoil the plans.

And a split field makes it impossible for any Republican to get a majority.

Nancy Mace wears bizarre ‘Scarlet Letter’ A shirt to speaker forum

Wednesday 11 October 2023 13:41 , Rachel Sharp

Nancy Mace bizarrely showed up to the House speaker candidate forum on Tuesday sporting a t-shirt with a red letter “A” emblazoned across it.

The MAGA Republican, who has endorsed Jim Jordan for the speaker role, told reporters that she was wearing the “scarlet letter” as a symbol that she had been “demonised” at the Capitol this week.

“I’m wearing the scarlet letter after the week I just had being a woman up here, and being demonised for my vote and for my voice,” she said in the halls of Congress.

Read the story here:

Nancy Mace wears bizarre ‘Scarlet Letter’ A shirt to speaker forum

How the vote will proceed

Wednesday 11 October 2023 13:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Wednesday 11 October - 9am ET

The Republicans will hold their internal vote to select the party’s nominee for speaker.

The vote on the House floor

The vote of the full chamber may come as soon as Wednesday, but that’s no guarantee that the chaos will subside. The eventual nominee for the Republicans will decide when to bring their candidacy up for a vote on the floor.

In January, it took 15 votes for Mr McCarthy to finally get across the threshold to grasp the gavel. Currently, the majority needed for a speaker to be elected is 217 votes. The GOP nominee can only lose the backing of four Republicans – eight voted to oust Mr McCarthy last week.

When each House district has a representative, the number needed is 218, just over half of the House’s 435 seats.

The threshold of 217 may change if some members don’t show up to vote or if they choose to vote “present” instead of “aye” or “nay”.

Fetterman mocks House Republicans, compares them to group of clowns

Wednesday 11 October 2023 12:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Sen John Fetterman (D-PA) mocked the House Republicans on Monday night, comparing them to a group of clowns.

Former Republican House Rep says ‘they deserve to lose’ in 2024

Wednesday 11 October 2023 11:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Former Republican House Rep Joe Walsh wrote on X on Tuesday morning: “Israel attacked and still no Speaker. These House Republicans have proven they’re incapable of governing. They deserve to lose control of the House in 2024.”

‘Will a gang of five patriotic Republicans put country first?'

Wednesday 11 October 2023 10:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Bill Kristol, a neoconservative writer and former chief of staff to Vice President Dan Quayle, wrote on X on Tuesday that “surely five responsible Republicans understand the country would be better served by Hakeem Jeffries as speaker for a year than by a Republican who has to depend for his survival on GOP insurrectionists and Putinists”.

“Will a gang of five patriotic Republicans put country first?” he asked.

‘The GOP Speaker’s race is an exercise in humiliation. And they love it.’

Wednesday 11 October 2023 09:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Former Republican strategist and Lincoln Project co-founder Rick Wilson wrote on X on Tuesday morning that “the GOP Speaker’s race is an exercise in humiliation. And they love it”.

He shared a video by The Lincoln Project, which mocked the “Poor Republicans - powerless to resist the whims of Donald Trump. With McCarthy out, they might think the pain is over, but they couldn’t be more wrong”.

House Republican calls on party to end ‘civil war’ and elect a speaker

Wednesday 11 October 2023 08:00 , Graig Graziosi

House Republicans are urging their colleagues to end the “civil war” that has erupted since the ousting of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

Congressman Mike McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs committee, urged his party to unify as “we have got to move quickly, we cannot paralyse democracy, especially when we have hotspots all over the world,” likely a reference to the erupting violence in Israel and the West Bank.

“I’m just worried about the messaging this sends,” he said, during an interview with CNN.

Last week eight hard-right Republicans, led by Congressman Matt Gaetz, managed to oust Mr McCarthy from the Speakership. The move was largely seen as a punishment for his decision to work with Democrats to avert a government shutdown.

Mr McCaul told CNN’s State of the Union that it was imperative that the House choose a speaker to ensure legislation makes it back to the floor.

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The Ohio State accusations

Wednesday 11 October 2023 07:00 , Eric Garcia

Aside from being a right-wing firebrand, Mr Jordan has faced serious allegations from his time as a wrestling coach at Ohio State University. In 2018, former athletes that he coached at the university told NBC News that Mr Jordan failed to stop the team doctor, Richard Strauss, who died in 2005, from sexually abusing them. Mr Jordan denied the allegations, saying he did not know about the abuse when he coached from 1986 to 1994. Dunyasha Yetts said he told Mr Jordan about the abuse, saying “For God’s sake, Strauss’s locker was right next to Jordan’s and Jordan even said he’d kill him if he tried anything with him.” The New York Times later reported that Mr Jordan called the parents of Mark Coleman, one of the athletes he coached, and asked him to change his story.

Jordan spoke to Trump on Jan 6

Wednesday 11 October 2023 06:00 , Eric Garcia

The House select committee that investigated the January 6 riot found that on 21 December 2020, Jim Jordan and a handful of House Republicans met with Mr Trump to discuss efforts to object to the election results and Mr Trump held the event to “disseminate his false claims and to encourage members of the public to fight the outcome on January 6”. He also admitted that he spoke with Mr Trump on the day of the January 6 riot.

In 2021, when the House organised the select committee to investigate January 6, Mr McCarthy selected Mr Jordan and Rep Jim Banks (R-IN), two allies of Mr Trump, as two of his five selections for the committee. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected Mr Banks and Mr Jordan, which led to Mr McCarthy pulling the rest of his members.

Over time, Mr McCarthy continued to elevate him, having him lead a subcommittee on the “weaponisation” of the federal government. Earlier this year, when many critics of Mr McCarthy opted to support him, he encouraged them to support Mr McCarthy, saying “I think Kevin McCarthy’s the right guy to lead us. I really do, or I wouldn’t be standing up here giving up this speech.”

In turn, Rep Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who nominated Mr Jordan, said the speech made him just the right candidate to lead the House, adding, “Maybe the right person for the job of speaker of the House isn’t someone who wants it so bad.”

When Mr Gaetz filed a motion to vacate this week, Mr Jordan voted against it.

Climbing the ranks in the Trump era

Wednesday 11 October 2023 05:00 , Eric Garcia

Speaker John Boehner’s ouster gave Jim Jordan increased political clout. During Paul Ryan’s speakership, Mr Jordan continued to criticise House GOP leadership. When Donald Trump became president, Mr Jordan quickly became a fixture in conservative media criticising attempts of the “deep state” to undermine Mr Trump.

On the House Judiciary Committee, Mr Jordan served as one of the chief apologists during Mr Trump’s first impeachment trial, aggressively questioning witnesses who alleged that Mr Trump sought to have Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky investigate Joe Biden’s son Hunter in exchange for aid to Ukraine as a means to help him win re-election.

When Mr Meadows left the House to become White House chief of staff, Mr Jordan became chairman of the Oversight Committee before resigning that post to become chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

When Mr Ryan left the speakership in 2019, he became a trusted ally of then-minority leader Kevin McCarthy. He also became a welcome fixture at the White House and led efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. On 5 November 2020, he participated in a rally to “Stop the Steal” at Pennsylvania’s state capitol in Harrisburg.