Leaderless House of Representatives

Oct. 13, 2023, (EIRNS)—The Republican House members remain split, as the fight over the next Speaker of the House continues. Yesterday evening, Steve Scalise (LA)—even though he had won the nomination from the Republicans, and his opponent Jim Jordan (OH) had advised his supporters to back him—failed to win over enough Republicans to secure to beat the Democrats. (Assuming a Republican will not receive any Democratic votes, he would have to get 217 of the 221 possible Republican votes.)

At that point Jordan re-entered the race, and midday today Austin Scott, a member of the Armed Services Committee and described as being close to GOP leaders, filed to run against Jordan. During the afternoon, Jordan won a vote in a closed-door Republican meeting (reportedly 124-81). However, shortly after that vote, only about half of Austin’s voters indicated that they would now vote for Jordan in a vote in the full House. It appears that he also remains significantly short of securing 217 Republican votes necessary, and it is not clear what kind of wheeling and dealing would secure that level.

Meanwhile Democrats are sniffing around the edges, looking for some sort of deal with Republicans to keep Jordan out.