House Republicans do not yet have a consensus among themselves to elect a speaker of the House even after Majority Leader Steve Scalise was nominated by their conference to assume the position, members told the Daily Caller News Foundation on Wednesday.
Scalise was nominated as the Republican candidate for speaker by a vote of 113-99 on Wednesday, defeating House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan by a narrow margin. However, there are still several holdouts despite Scalise’s nomination, complicating House Republicans’ plans for a speakership election, members told the DCNF at the Capitol.
“We don’t have the votes,” said Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky to the DCNF, who added that he was currently opposed to Scalise’s election. “There is a large and growing number who will not vote for Scalise,” he said.
I just voted for Jim Jordan for Speaker on a private ballot in conference, and I will be voting for Jim Jordan on the House floor.
I like Steve Scalise, and I like him so much that I want to see him defeat cancer more than sacrifice his health in the most difficult position in…
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 11, 2023
via joemiller