Kevin McCarthy of California is the presumed new Speaker of the House.
However, there is a chance that he may not get enough votes from fellow Republicans to take on the role.
Waiting in the wings is Rep. Steve Scalise, who many people believe would get the votes easily.
Just The News reports:
Scalise must be ready to take House speaker gavel if McCarthy falls short of votes: GOP insiders
GOP insiders are pushing Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), the GOP whip, as a shoo-in for House speaker if the leading contender Kevin McCarthy falls short of a majority by the Jan. 3 vote, given the California Republican’s struggle to secure enough GOP votes, The Washington Times reports.
The slim GOP majority secured in the midterms means that McCarthy can only survive four GOP defections. Five are currently on record resisting a McCarthy gavel: Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Matthew Rosendale of Montana, Ralph Norman of South Carolina and Bob Good of Virginia.
“If Kevin doesn’t get it, Scalise gets it easily,” a Republican source told the Times. “I think people just trust Steve more, and they don’t always trust Kevin. Scalise is more conservative on the kind of stuff that matters to some people,” another said.
McCarthy’s difficulties partly hinge on his reluctance to negotiate with holdouts, including Biggs, who is actively running for speaker, out of fear that it will embolden them to make more demands, “Republicans familiar with Mr. McCarthy’s thinking” told the Times.
The Dems' omnibus spending bill sends millions of taxpayer dollars to foreign countries for their border security—yet impedes border security right here in our own country.
Stunning hypocrisy.
They always put America last. pic.twitter.com/Oo9MGN3OaJ
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) December 22, 2022
I vote for SCALISE !!!!
He was always my choice. I don’t trust McCarthy. He seem to talk to just provide what he thinks people want to hear. Takes the middle of the road when he should have a backbone and do what is hard to do.
Scalise would be a great pick for Speaker, and HE WILL WIN because he is so well-respected. McCarthy’s mouth says one thing, and then he doesn’t follow through with ANYTHING! His ‘list’ only spelled out ‘what we want’, but said NOTHING about ‘what he would DO’ as Speaker to implement that ‘wish-list’, which is all it was!!! We need MORE than that at this time in History. We need a Speaker who will DO what the People sent him there to DO! And we know he is tough as nails! after being almost executed at that ‘bi-partisan’ ballgame! And this year, he played Ball again! The People Stand with Scalise, and the People love him! (and for that reason the Dems will come out AGAINST him – but he has already won the hearts of the Repubs. over the years, and he will WIN this!!!) And any RINOs who WON’T vote for Scalise will know that their days are numbered if they choose that fight with their base now. And RINO McCarthy is NOT going to DO what the People want to see…
I’m with Scalise! He will get the job done!
Ditch Mitch in the senate