House Republicans Remain Divided and Unable to Elect a New Speaker

House Republicans remain divided and unable to elect a new speaker after a closed-door meeting on Wednesday. Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana was nominated to be the next House speaker, but the party has yet to find the 217 votes necessary to elect him.

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., expressed concern that the party’s narrow majority may never find the votes needed to elect a speaker. He also blasted eight Republican “traitors” who voted with Democrats to remove former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and “put us in this situation.”

Rep. Mike Lawler, Republican of New York, said the disorganized House Republican conference has plunged the House into a “constitutional crisis” or paralysis and drift. He added that if the eight Republican “traitors” decide to back Scalise, “then there’s just another eight like them” who could create further trouble.

The House is now in a state of limbo as Republicans struggle to find a path to 217 votes. The party is divided and unable to come to a consensus on who should be the next speaker. It is unclear when or if the House will be able to elect a new speaker.