Republican divisions threaten Steve Scalise’s ascent to House speaker
- Republicans nominated Steve Scalise as their candidate for speaker of the US House of Representatives
- He now faces a scramble to win over almost all Republicans before a speaker vote by the full House
Republican Steve Scalise faces a fight to become House speaker that could drag on for days or even weeks, delaying the US response to financial deadlines and a new war in the Middle East.
Scalise on Wednesday claimed the Republican nomination for speaker by the narrowest of majorities, beating out the candidate endorsed by former president Donald Trump.
He immediately began a charm offensive to get the backing of the dozens of other House Republicans, including several Trump acolytes, who didn’t support his candidacy.
The House can conduct no business, including approving new aid to Israel, until a new speaker is in place.
But many of his party colleagues quickly indicated they won’t soon – or likely ever -get behind the 58-year-old Louisianan. Scalise can’t afford to lose more than four Republican votes to win against unified Democrats for their party leader, Hakeem Jeffries of New York.