House Majority Leader Steve Scalise is shoring up votes behind the scenes to become the next speaker of the House, sources familiar with the situation told The Washington Times.
In a Dear Colleague letter on Wednesday, Mr. Scalise wrote: “Now, more than ever, we must mend the deep wounds that exist within our Conference and focus on our objectives so we can get back to work for the millions of people who are counting on us.”
He stated, “It is with that sense of responsibility and purpose that I am seeking the Conference’s nomination for Speaker of the House.”
The House will return from recess next week when a speaker vote is expected so the lower chamber can elect its new leader.
In the meantime, Rep. Patrick McHenry, North Carolina Republican, was named by California Rep. Kevin McCarthy as acting speaker.
Mr. Scalise, 57, has already won the endorsements of Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas and Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota. If Mr. Scalise becomes speaker, Mr. Emmer has a chance to rise to majority leader.
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Mr. Scalise, Louisiana Republican, who signaled he wasn’t interested in the speakership when Mr. McCarthy battled to maintain the gavel until Tuesday, is making phone calls for speaker endorsements.
The majority leader is expected to meet with the Texas Republican delegation at its lunch Wednesday, with 25 of its votes up for grabs. Other potential speaker candidates might meet with the delegation as well.
Mr. Scalise, who has served in the House since 2008, likely will be up against stiff competition, including Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the House Judiciary Committee chairman who’s also seeking endorsements.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, Florida Republican, who led the effort to oust Mr. McCarthy from leadership, named Mr. Scalise as someone he would support for the speakership.
Although the majority leader has fans among hardline Republicans, there is apprehension among some in the party over whether he has the health and stamina to do the job.
He was among several people injured in 2017 when an anti-Trump gunman fired on Republican lawmakers on a baseball field in Alexandria, Virginia, outside Washington.
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Mr. Scalise was shot in the hip and underwent numerous surgeries and a painful rehabilitation.
More recently, he was diagnosed in late August with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that develops in plasma cells in the bone marrow. However, Mr. Scalise’s office said it was caught early and is “very treatable.”
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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