In the aftermath of the Israel-Hamas war, House Republicans find themselves embroiled in a fierce battle to elect their next speaker. On Wednesday, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., emerged as the Republican majority’s candidate for the position after winning a closed-door conference vote. However, the path to securing the speakership is proving to be far from smooth, as several GOP lawmakers publicly announced their refusal to support Scalise in a chamber-wide vote.
The division within the Republican Party became evident as Rep. Barry Moore, R-Ala., expressed his disappointment, stating, “They knew I was with [Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio] in the room, and I thought I might go with Scalise if everybody was gonna get behind Scalise, that was fine, but it’s just not that way. There’s just people that are not on his team.”
Scalise managed to secure 113 Republican votes, while Jordan garnered 99. However, frustration arose among some members when Scalise allies voted down a measure aimed at raising the threshold to elect a speaker candidate to 217, a majority of the House. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who led the amendment, explained, “I put the amendment forward this morning to say, let’s figure this out because I can count votes. I’m not a whip, but I can count votes.”
The tensions within the fractured GOP caucus are palpable, with Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., lamenting that the discord “does not look good for the House or for the country.” Johnson emphasized the importance of compromise in governance, stating, “Frankly, I think it would be easier in a political environment where people understood that governing requires some give and take… It is not a problem unique to the Republican Party, but it is on full display in our party today.”
With the current House makeup, a GOP speaker candidate can only afford to lose four votes without Democratic support. However, as of Wednesday evening, at least 11 Republicans have declared they will not vote for Scalise. The timing of the chamber-wide vote remains uncertain, as one Republican lawmaker noted, “Seems like we are a long ways off.”
The challenges faced by House Republicans in electing their next speaker highlight the deep divisions within the party. As the GOP struggles to find unity, the future leadership of the House hangs in the balance. Republican allies of Scalise will likely seek to hold a vote as soon as possible, but the outcome remains uncertain.
In a political landscape where compromise is crucial, the inability of lawmakers to bridge their differences raises concerns about the effectiveness of governance. As the race for the speakership continues, the eyes of the nation remain fixed on the Republican Party’s ability to overcome internal divisions and provide stable leadership for the House.
