Representative Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida, expressed his enthusiasm for Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, being nominated for the position of Speaker by the House GOP. Gaetz spoke to reporters, stating, “I’m excited for him. I can’t wait to go vote for Steve Scalise. Long live Speaker Scalise.”
According to The Hill, Gaetz had previously indicated his contentment with either Steve Scalise or House Judicial Chairman Jim Jordan from Ohio as potential Speaker nominees but had not officially endorsed either candidate. He emphasized the need to hear their specific plans regarding government spending and single-subject appropriations bills during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
In reference to the recent ousting of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which Gaetz played a significant role in, he referred to both Scalise and Jordan as a “monumental upgrade.” The historic vote led by Gaetz resulted in McCarthy’s removal from the position, with eight Republicans and all Democrats voting 216-210 in favor of vacating the Speakership.
After his removal, McCarthy held a press conference and took a swipe at Gaetz, suggesting that it was a personal matter. McCarthy asserted that the issue was unrelated to spending or allegations made against him, and he accused Gaetz of seeking attention.
In a closed-door vote on Wednesday, Scalise secured the nomination with a vote of 113-99, narrowly defeating Jordan. Scalise stated, “I’ve got a long history of bringing people together, uniting Republicans, and focusing on the critical issues we need to address to get our country back on track.”
Now, Scalise’s candidacy moves to the House floor, where he will compete against House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, who was nominated for Speaker by the Democrats on Tuesday night.