Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) has been chosen by House Republicans as the nominee for the recently vacated Speaker seat. After more than two hours behind closed doors on Wednesday, GOP lawmakers voted via secret ballot with Scalise receiving 113 votes and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) receiving 99 votes. This comes after last week’s ousting of Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from the Speaker’s seat by eight Republicans and all House Democrats, marking the first time in U.S. history the House voted to remove its own leader. Jordan, an original cofounder of the House Freedom Caucus, had garnered early support from Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), the group’s chairman. Scalise had been a longtime No. 2 to McCarthy. CNN reported that the House will not elect a Speaker today.
