5-10-2023 (WASHINGTON) U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, made a formal announcement on Wednesday, officially throwing his hat into the ring for the position of House speaker. His declaration came merely one day after the historic removal of Kevin McCarthy from the role.
In a letter addressed to his colleagues, Scalise emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “We all came here to save this country from being taken down a dangerous path of destruction.” He sought the nomination for speaker of the House within the Republican Conference.
Kevin McCarthy, a Republican hailing from California, was unseated from the position in a momentous 216-210 vote on Tuesday. This marked an unprecedented event in U.S. history, as it was the first instance of a House speaker being voted out of office midway through their term. Notably, eight Republicans joined forces with Democrats in the decision to remove McCarthy from the speakership.
The removal of McCarthy occurred less than 24 hours after hardline Republican Representative Matt Gaetz filed a resolution, instigating the process known as “a motion to vacate.” Gaetz and other like-minded Republicans had been issuing warnings for weeks, pledging to oust McCarthy if he relied on Democratic support to pass funding legislation. They criticized McCarthy for his alleged failure to advance legislation that included substantial spending cuts and border security provisions.
Steve Scalise, at the age of 57, emphasized a range of critical issues currently confronting the nation. These included high national debt, border security, energy supply, crime, and drug-related concerns.
As the second-in-command among House Republicans, Scalise appears to be a natural choice for the role, given his wealth of experience in leading his party’s vote-counting operation as the former GOP whip. His inspiring story of surviving a mass shooting during a congressional baseball practice in 2017 has also added to his reputation.
However, it’s worth noting that Scalise announced in August that he had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, and was undergoing treatment. This diagnosis had raised questions about his ability to assume the strenuous responsibilities associated with the role of speaker.
Following McCarthy’s removal, Republican Representative Patrick T. McHenry from North Carolina was designated as the acting speaker of the House.
In light of the pressing issues facing the nation, President Joe Biden is eager for the House to swiftly elect a new speaker. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre articulated this sense of urgency in a statement.
Kevin McCarthy, who was initially elected to the U.S. House in 2006 and assumed the position of House speaker in January of the current year, has already conveyed that he will not seek re-election for the role.
