House GOP Leadership Crisis: Steve Scalise Abandons Speaker's Race, Unveiling a Shakeup of Power

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise announced his withdrawal from the speakers race on Thursday following the lack of support from House Republicans after Kevin McCarthy's unprecedented removal.

The nomination of Scalise for speakership crumbled swiftly, only a day after the GOP conference favored him over Rep. Jim Jordan with a vote of 113-99. While not entirely unexpected, the rapid opposition from a group of Republicans who firmly declared their refusal to vote for Scalise as speaker was both shocking and unsurprising. This situation further exacerbates the existing leadership crisis within the House GOP, as there is currently no indication of a viable candidate capable of securing the necessary 217 votes to become speaker. Republicans will now need to hastily search for a way to proceed, as the House remains paralyzed without a speaker.

"There is still work to be done in our conference," announced Scalise as he withdrew from the race. "We have yet to come together as a unified front. Some individuals still prioritize their personal agendas, despite my clear message that we need to put them aside and focus on what our country needs. Our nation is relying on us to reconcile our differences. The House of Representatives requires a speaker, and we must reopen the House. However, it is evident that not everyone is on board, and there are still unresolved divisions that need to be addressed."

Earlier on Thursday, Scalise worked diligently to salvage his candidacy. He dedicated over two hours in a closed-door conference meeting to directly addressing the concerns of his critics. Additionally, he extended an invitation to his dissenters to meet with him in his office, aiming to persuade them to support his bid.

Former House Speaker Rep. Kevin McCarthy talks with reporters at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on Thursday, October 12.

Mariam Zuhaib/AP

CNN Poll: Americans' views of the Republican Party and its congressional leaders have worsened amid House leadership crisis

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However, Scalise took a misguided approach, as the number of opponents within the GOP conference nearly doubled to approximately two dozen. In order to become speaker, Scalise or any other Republican candidate must secure a majority of votes in the entire House, which amounts to 217 votes, accounting for two vacancies. This implies that a GOP speaker candidate can only afford to lose four votes from fellow Republicans, provided there are no absences. It is expected that Democrats will unanimously support House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Now the question arises as to who can secure the votes needed to become speaker. Several Republicans quickly pointed towards Jordan, who was defeated by Scalise in the conference vote on Wednesday.

Scalise, who announced his withdrawal from a second members-only GOP conference meeting on Thursday evening, did not offer his endorsement to any candidate. He will continue to serve as House majority leader, the second-highest ranking Republican in the House.

McCarthy, who previously acknowledged the challenges faced by Scalise earlier on Thursday, stated after the withdrawal that the GOP conference needs to address its problems. This statement follows his removal by eight Republicans in last week's vote.

McCarthy expressed his belief that the conference should address their problem, find a solution, and choose a leader. As the conference meeting progressed on Thursday, frustration grew among its members due to the confirmed impasse.

Scalises math problem

On Wednesday night, conference members started discussing how to deal with the possible failure of Scalise's bid. Some GOP sources believed that they would have to explore a new candidate for the speakership, who hasn't entered the race yet. Given the division within the GOP, many Republicans doubted if any existing candidate would be able to secure the majority of votes.

"Paul Ryan is not present in this facility. Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who opposes Scalise, referred to Scalise and Jordan as the two most promising candidates," stated Rep. Massie.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw from Texas strongly criticized members who stated that they would not vote for Scalise.

"I believe that unless they can secure 100% of the vote from their respective districts, all of them should resign from their congressional positions," he stated in an interview with CNN.

On Thursday, Jordan expressed his desire for Republicans to rally behind Scalise, stating, "I have been consistently clear about that since yesterday."

But when asked if he would refuse the job if Scalise is unable to attend, Jordan did not provide a straightforward response. "I will propose Steve as the candidate and I hope we can come together in support of a speaker," stated the Ohio Republican. Former President Donald Trump, who endorsed Jordan, expressed dissatisfaction with Scalise's bid for speakership during a Fox News Radio interview, citing the House majority leader's recent cancer diagnosis.

"I just dont know how you can do the job when you have such a serious problem," Trump said.

A leaderless House amid world turmoil

Despite some hopes on Capitol Hill that the recent violent attacks on Israel would expedite the selection of a new leader among Republicans, the divided conference and previous removal of McCarthy have led to a stalemate in finding a new speaker. Prior to Scalise's withdrawal, Republicans had been contemplating the possibility of expanding the authority of interim Speaker Patrick McHenry in order to allow the House to pass important legislation, including a resolution pertaining to Israel, according to multiple lawmakers interviewed by CNN.

GOP Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas informed reporters that pursuing that option is possible. Sources revealed that a group of moderate Republicans is circulating a letter suggesting that McHenry should be granted additional temporary power, indicating the GOP's urgency to unite behind a speaker.

Some House Democrats are separately engaging in initial discussions with certain Republicans to identify those interested in collaborating if Scalise withdraws, according to a source knowledgeable about these interactions. The source also mentioned that House Rules Chairman Tom Cole of Oklahoma is among the Republicans Democrats would be intrigued to work with. However, Democrats have asserted that they would require significant concessions for any negotiations to materialize, indicating that a potential agreement with Republicans would not be without conditions.

No clear alternative if Scalise cant be elected

Upon exiting the meeting on Thursday, Luna declared her withdrawal of support for Scalise. "At present, we require a candidate who can unify the party, and currently, no contender possesses the required 217 majority," stated the Republican from Florida.

Although several Scalise holdouts are voicing their endorsement for Jordan, a considerable number of Republicans doubt Jordan's potential as a viable alternative, considering his loss to Scalise in the nominating contest. Furthermore, some Republicans were displeased with his failure to promptly align himself with Scalise.

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida expressed concern about the potential consequences if Scalise does not succeed, stating that the person who would receive fewer votes is likely to be more controversial. This, he believed, would not be beneficial for the institution. Prior to Scalise's withdrawal, Republican Rep. Erin Houchin of Indiana admitted uncertainty regarding the outcome, unsure whether Jordan, Scalise, or another candidate would ultimately be chosen.

"I think were in uncharted territory," she said, "and its gonna be very hard to predict."

This story and headline have been updated to include additional developments.

CNNs Annie Grayer, Lauren Fox, Kristin Wilson, Morgan Rimmer, Sam Fossum and Clare Foran contributed to this report.