Steve Scalise bows out of speaker's race, laments unresolved 'schisms' in GOP

"Our conference still has to come together and we’re not there," he said.

By Ben Whedon

Published: October 12, 2023 8:04pm

Updated: October 12, 2023 8:33pm

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise on Thursday evening announced he was withdrawing from the race to become the next Speaker of the House.

"Our conference still has to come together and we’re not there. There are still some people that have their own agendas," he said, according to the Washington Post. "There's still work to be done."

Scalise won a Republican Party conference vote earlier this week, defeating the Trump-backed Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, though a number of conservatives announced they would not back him to lead the chamber in a floor vote. Scalise earned 113 votes to Jordan's 99, but was evidently unable to secure enough support to confirmed as speaker.

"This country is counting on us to come back together. This House of Representatives needs a speaker and we need to open up the House again. But clearly, not everybody is there and there's still schisms that have to get resolved," Scalise said.

It remains unclear whether Jordan will again attempt to claim the speaker's gavel.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.