Republicans nominate Steve Scalise as next House speaker

Republicans voted Wednesday to nominate House Majority Leader Steve Scalise to serve as the next House speaker following the ouster last week of Rep. Kevin McCarthy.

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Lawmakers told The Associated Press that House Republicans chose Scalise over Rep. Jim Jordan in a private ballot at the Capitol. Scalise, who serves as the second highest-ranked Republican in the House, was nominated in a 113-99 vote, The Hill reported.

He will need to win 217 votes on the House floor to win the speakership. The full House vote was not immediately scheduled.

Last week, Scalise tossed his name into the race for the speaker’s gavel. In a letter shared on social media, he asked his colleagues for their support.

“This next chapter won’t be easy, but I know what it takes to fight and I am prepared for the battles that lie ahead,” Scalise wrote.

Scalise has represented Louisiana’s 1st congressional district since 2008, and he served as House majority whip from 2019 to 2022. In 2017, he was shot and injured when a gunman opened fire during a practice for the annual Congressional Baseball Game. He said last week that getting back to work in the House “kept me motivated to get better.”

“During that time, I was often asked why after nearly losing my life because of this job I would want to go back,” he said. “But it was never a question for me: I love this country, and I believe we were sent here to come together and solve the immense challenges we face.”

It was not immediately clear whether Scalise had enough support to win the race for House speaker. McCarthy lost 14 votes before winning the 15th to become the speaker in January.