Ex-House Communications Member Scalise Gets Divided GOP's Speaker Nomination
Former senior House Communications Subcommittee member Steve Scalise of Louisiana, now chamber majority leader, won the Republican caucus’ nomination for speaker Wednesday 113-99 against Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio. The two tech-focused leaders sparred in recent days for…
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the caucus’ backing to replace former Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California after eight House Republicans joined with all present Democrats more than a week ago to oust the former leader by a 216-210 margin. It wasn’t clear Wednesday afternoon whether Scalise had secured enough votes to assure the full House would elect him as speaker, as several GOP lawmakers indicated they planned to still vote for Jordan, to reinstate McCarthy, or were otherwise uncommitted to backing Scalise in a House floor vote despite the caucus’ nomination. Jordan’s office confirmed he will back Scalise on the floor. Scalise relinquished his House Communications seat at the beginning of this Congress when he became majority leader. He was the lead Republican sponsor of the 2021 Secure Equipment Act, which bans the FCC from issuing new equipment licenses to companies the commission decides are a national security risk (see 2110290067). Scalise has also been an active advocate for revamping retransmission consent and other TV rules, including as lead GOP sponsor of the Modern Television Act during the past two Congresses (see 2103110064). Jordan, who became House Judiciary chairman at the beginning of this Congress, has been a strong critic of FTC actions under Chair Lina Khan and is spearheading the panel’s investigation of the Biden administration’s efforts to control misinformation on social media (see 2308180043). He has also been a hurdle to House consideration of the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (see 2309010048).