House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) announced at a closed-door House Republican conference meeting that he is withdrawing his bid to be House speaker.
Scalise dropped out of the speaker race on Thursday night after failing to garner enough support in the House GOP conference to be elected in a House floor vote despite winning the conference’s nomination on Wednesday. With Scalise’s announcement, several House Republicans will likely join the race to replace former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
“Our conference still has to come together, and it’s not there. There are still some people that have their own agendas. And it was very clear we have to have everybody put their agendas on the side and focus on what this country needs,” Scalise said following the conference meeting. “I withdraw my name.”
Scalise also said he would remain as majority leader despite dropping out of the speaker race. His withdrawal comes after Republicans held a roughly 2 1/2 hour conference meeting earlier on Wednesday, which did little to convince holdout members of the conference to support the Louisiana Republican for the speakership.
Some Republicans had expressed concerns about Scalise’s ability to serve as speaker with his recent blood cancer diagnosis and health concerns. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in August and has been undergoing chemotherapy.
Potential candidates for the speakership with Scalise bowing out include House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN), and McCarthy. Scalise has said he will not endorse someone in the speaker race.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) called on House Republicans to unify behind Jordan, who narrowly lost to Scalise in a conference vote on Wednesday, believing the Ohio Republican can garner 217 votes on the House floor.
McCarthy, who was ousted in a historic 216-210 vote last week that saw eight Republicans join Democrats to remove him from the speakership, said he will “let the conference decide” when asked if he would seek the speakership again.
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“I just think the conference as a whole has to figure out their problem, solve it, and select a leader,” McCarthy said. “Look, the job is hard. Getting elected is hard. It took me 15 rounds.”
Without a House speaker, the lower chamber of Congress cannot conduct any legislative duties. Until a speaker is elected, the House is paralyzed with a potential government shutdown looming next month and as lawmakers seek to pass aid to Israel after a terrorist attack by Hamas over the weekend.
