In a closed-door meeting on Wednesday, House Republicans voted narrowly to nominate Rep. Steve Scalise to be the next House speaker, but his path to being elected was unclear on a day when Northwest GOP lawmakers expressed support for different candidates.
Scalise, a Louisianan who served as the No. 2 House Republican until Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California was ousted as speaker by GOP hardliners on Oct. 3, received 113 votes to 99 for Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, lawmakers told reporters after the secret ballots were tallied. Soon after the vote concluded, however, Rep. Russ Fulcher sent an email to his constituents reiterating his support for Jordan.
“I fully support Jim Jordan for House Speaker,” Fulcher, who represents North Idaho, wrote in the email that included a video he had recorded earlier to support the Ohioan. “Jim has shown exceptional judgment, clarity, and prudence as a Member of Congress and as House Judiciary Committee Chairman. Jim has the integrity and wisdom to unify the Republican Conference, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to elect him as House Speaker.”
Minutes later, Jordan said he would back Scalise, but the House recessed Wednesday afternoon without voting on the nomination. Fulcher didn’t issue any further statements to clarify where he stood, but other House Republicans said they still planned to vote for Jordan – or even McCarthy – casting doubt on the GOP’s ability to rally behind a single leader.