After several members-only meetings within the Republican conference yesterday, Steve Scalise, the individual who had the most votes for Speaker back on Tuesday, announced that he would no longer be a candidate for the position. He made the announcement after it became apparent that he would not have the 217 votes needed from the members of his conference when the official vote takes place on the floor.
The question now is: Who’s next? Scalise beat out Jim Jordan of Ohio, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, 113 to 99 during a vote among Republicans on Tuesday. While many believe Jordan is the next obvious choice, it is far from certain that he has the votes. He is an ardent supporter of former president Trump. Republicans are expected to reconvene today for further discussions.