US House’s Scalise, Jordan locked in two-way speaker race, for now
Steve Scalise is the No. The No. 2 Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives and Jim Jordan, the leader of the conservative wing of the party, are in a race for the leadership of the chamber following the historic removal of Kevin McCarthy.
Scalise is a Louisiana lawmaker who has chosen the traditional path to the top, raising money and building connections across the party. Jordan, on the other hand, has become a right-wing firebrand.
Jordan is one of the leading defenders of Donald Trump, former president who continues to be a prominent figure in Republican Party.
Trump, who is the leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, endorsed Jordan as House speaker last Friday. It remains to be determined how much influence this endorsement will have. Some Republicans ignored Trump’s call for unity when McCarthy and his allies fought for the speaker’s givel in January.
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Scalise and Jordan received about two dozen votes from the 221 Republicans who make up the House as of Friday.
The Republicans will choose their leader at a closed door meeting on Wednesday. It may take some time for them to decide on a candidate. Kevin Hern, head of the conservative Republican Study Committee is expected to run as well. Other candidates may also emerge. Patrick McHenry, a representative from the state of Virginia, currently holds this position temporarily.
Whoever wins the election will need to negotiate a deal to fund the government beyond a deadline of Nov. 17, and supervise an impeachment investigation into President Joe Biden, which Democrats claim is unfounded. Speaker will also decide whether or not to support more Ukraine aid. Many Republicans are against it.
The whole House votes for a speaker. The Republicans have a majority of 221-212 in the House, and they can spare only four votes if the opposition Democrats stay together.
FIREBRAND VS. FUNDRAISER
Scalise is 57 years old and has held leadership positions in Congress since 2014. He was considered McCarthy’s successor. He was the No. 2 fundraiser for the Republicans last year. He was the No. 2 Republican fundraiser in last year’s fundraising, which could be helpful to him as he seeks leadership.
Scalise suffered a serious injury in June 2017, when a man, who had criticised Republicans on social media, shot him as he and other legislators were practicing for a charitable baseball game. He returned to Congress three months later.
In August, Louisiana’s lawmaker announced that he would be seeking treatment for multiple lymphoma. This is a type of blood cancer. Scalise has returned to the Capitol and said he’s healthy enough to be speaker.
Scalise received criticism for his 2002 speech to a group of white supremacists that was linked to the former Ku Klux Klan Leader David Duke. Scalise said that he regrets the mistake.
Scalise’s aide said that he had been talking to other members “nonstop” since announcing the run.
Jordan is a formidable opponent to Scalise. Jordan is a lawmaker from Ohio who heads the House Judiciary Committee. This committee is one of three panels that are at the heart of the Biden Impeachment Inquiry.
Source familiar with the race: “He is clearly the underdog, but has a lot momentum.”
Jordan was a vocal supporter of Trump’s efforts to undermine the Democrat Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.
Former college wrestling coach, one of the founders in the conservative House Freedom Caucus. He has sparred in the past with members of his party. Most notably in 2015 when he was a part of a group of hardliners that pressured Republican Speaker John Boehner to resign.
Jordan, who is 59 years old, is outside the party’s leadership. He lost the 2018 leadership contest to McCarthy, but he became a close friend.
In 2018, wrestlers who were coached by Jordan claimed he knew the team doctor molested them. He denies any knowledge.
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