House Majority Leader Steve Scalise voted for Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan for speaker on the chamber floor Tuesday but Mr. Scalise is not fully helping Mr. Jordan win over enough lawmakers to win the gavel, a source familiar with the circumstances told The Washington Times.
The controversy emerged after a CNN reporter posted on X that Mr. Scalise “wouldn’t commit” to Mr. Jordan, and that a source felt Mr. Scalise was “not being a team player.”
But Mr. Scalise’s office disputed the characterization, telling The Washington Times it was not accurate.
“Leader Scalise has been the only candidate throughout this process who has publicly declared he will be supportive of whomever the conference nominates for speaker, and his position has not changed,” said Lauren Fine, communications director for Mr. Scalise of Louisiana.
“He voted for Jim Jordan on the floor and will continue to do so,” she said.
Mr. Scalise threw his hat in for speaker last week but withdrew after he failed to win the 217 votes necessary among Republicans in a secret ballot round.
Some GOP lawmakers supporting Mr. Scalise were upset that the Louisiana lawmaker was pushed aside for Mr. Jordan after Mr. Scalise failed to immediately secure enough support.
Now Mr. Jordan is struggling for support and wants to try to win with subsequent rounds of ballots, even though he privately told Mr. Scalise he should step aside if he could not win in one ballot round.
Republicans defeated Mr. Jordan of Ohio in his quest for the speaker’s gavel Tuesday, leaving the House without a speaker for a second week and in a state of paralysis.
Mr Jordan, a conservative firebrand from Ohio who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, fell well short of the 217 votes needed to secure the gavel. Mr Jordan could afford to lose about four votes, but 20 Republicans voted against him.
The House recessed after the vote while Republicans tried to figure out their next move. It was unclear when the next round of votes would occur, but Mr. Jordan’s staunch allies had said he would win the necessary support on subsequent ballots.
A second speaker ballot round is expected late Wednesday morning.
