The U.S. Republican Party has selected Steve Scalise, the House Minority Leader, as its candidate for Speaker of the House.
According to congressional news outlet The Hill and others, the Republican Party made this decision through a vote during a closed-door meeting on the 11th (local time). Scalise received 113 votes in the ballot, defeating Jim Jordan, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, who received 99 votes. If he secures a majority vote in the House floor vote, which may be held as early as this afternoon, he will become the Speaker of the House.
However, since the Republican Party's seats (221) hold only a narrow lead over the Democratic Party (212), there is a possibility of confusion and turmoil similar to when Kevin McCarthy was elected Speaker if there are defections within the Republican ranks. Former Speaker McCarthy was elected after 15 rounds of voting earlier this year.
Scalise, a descendant of Italian immigrants, is a seasoned politician who served as a Louisiana state representative and state senator before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives nine times since 2008. Despite having been a victim of a shooting incident, he is considered a typical conservative politician who supports gun ownership rights and opposes gun control legislation.
Meanwhile, former Speaker McCarthy was historically the first Speaker to be removed from office after a resolution to dismiss him, led by hardliners within the party, passed on the 3rd following the temporary budget approval on the 30th of last month.
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