House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R La, has dropped out of the race for House Speaker. He announced the decision following a closed-door meeting of Republicans Thursday evening. He had won the nomination 113 to 99 last night.
This might leave the door open for Jim Jordan.
If Republicans don’t unite and pick one person, Democrats will decide who the speaker is. Dmeocrats will pick Marxist Hakeem Jeffries.
“I just shared with my colleagues that I’m withdrawing my name as a candidate for the speaker designee,” the Louisiana Republican told reporters.
“If you look at where our conference is there’s still work to be done. Our conference still has to come together and is not there,” he said. “There are still some people that have their own agendas, and I was very clear we have to have everybody put their agendas on the side and focus on what this country needs. This country is counting on us to come back together. This House of Representatives needs a speaker, and we need to open up the House again, but clearly, not everybody is there, and there’s still schisms that have to get resolved.”
House Republicans met behind closed-doors for more than two hours earlier in the afternoon, where the Majority leader urged his detractors to explain their opposition to him in front of the conference. After the meeting ended, Scalise huddled with those opposed to him in his office. And Republicans scheduled a second members-only conference meeting for Thursday evening.
The opposition only grew worse, with 20 members against him.
“This is petty, and I’m getting freaking tired of it,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a New York Republican. “We’re all in there sharing our feelings, but the reality is we still need to get to 217.”
This infighting needs to end, but it might not.
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