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Nominated to be House speaker, Steve Scalise is left searching for Republican votes to win the gavel
Having won the nomination to be the next House speaker, Rep. Steve Scalise is facing a familiar fight trying to shore up the votes
WASHINGTON (AP) — Having won the nomination to be the next House speaker, Rep. Steve Scalise is heading straight into a familiar Republican problem — skeptical GOP colleagues are reluctant to give their support, denying him the majority vote needed to win the gavel.
On Thursday, the House will open at midday in anticipation of floor action to elect the speaker. But it's requiring Scalise to peel off more than 100 votes mostly from his chief rival, Rep. Jim Jordan, the Judiciary Committee chairman favored by hardliners as they dig in for a fight to replace Rep. Kevin McCarthy after his historic ouster from the job.
“We have a lot of work to do,” Scalise said after Wednesday's internal party election.
A steady stream of some of the Republicans filed into Scalise's office late into the evening, bringing their complaints, criticisms and demands as he worked to shore up support.