BULLETIN: Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) does not have the votes to be Speaker of the House. House Republicans met behind closed doors earlier this week and chose Scalise over Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH).
However, Scalise still does not have enough caucus votes to win outright in a full House vote. He needs 217 Republican votes to seize the gavel.
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“There are as many as 30 members opposing Scalise,” one source told Newsmax, noting almost all are “Jordan and McCarthy supporters,” referring to Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who lost to Scalise on a secret ballot for nomination to replace ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
“Obviously, we still have work to do. We’re going to have to go upstairs on the House floor and resolve this and then get the House opened again,” Scalise told reporters after the vote. “We see how dangerous of a world it is and how things can change so quickly. We need to make sure we are sending a message to people all throughout the world that the House is open and doing the people’s business.”
Time reporter Eric Cortellessa says the Louisiana congressman’s lust for beef may have led to his undoing.
Cortellessa reports that supporters of Jordan circulated FEC documents that showed Scalise has spent more than $500,000 at the Capital Grille since 2011.
“They are saying it reveals Scalise to be a creature of the ‘Washington swamp’ and establishment—another sign that Republicans are not ready to corral around a single candidate. Some are preparing for a lengthy and bitter fight,” Cortellessa posted on X.
The only thing taxpayers hate worse than pork is a congressman gnawing on a slab of taxpayer-funded prime rib beef.