There's little difference between Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Steve Scalise (R-LA), the two candidates to replace Kevin McCarthy as House speaker, but some Republicans have doubts about who should lead them into the 2024election cycle.
The GOP conference will hold a candidate forum Tuesday, where Jordan and Scalise will make their pitch in hopes of gathering the 111 votes needed from the party's 221 members, but there is some internal drama that could hurt each of their chances at taking the gavel, reported The Daily Beast.
"There’s one particularly unusual factor, however, that could influence the outcome of the race: the long-running beef between McCarthy and Scalise," the website reported. "The Louisiana Republican had always been the clear No. 2 of the House GOP, but Scalise’s eagerness to explore a run after McCarthy’s first bid for the speakership faltered in 2015 was never quite forgiven."
McCarthy and Scalise remained publicly close, but lawmakers always understood Scalise hoped to become speaker and noticed that he launched into action almost immediately after the speaker's ouster last week, and McCarthy's operation is “almost entirely behind Jordan," according to a senior GOP aide.
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However, that aide expressed serious concerns about Jordan, who has been endorsed by former president Donald Trump.
“There are serious worries about Jordan’s political operation,” that senior GOP aide said.
Jordan, the Freedom Caucus founder and leader, has spent the past six years getting hardline conservatives elected in deep-red districts, while Scalise's campaign has raised $75 million since 2017 that has been spread around various Republican candidates and districts.
“Small dollar fundraising is a given for someone going for speakership, but [Jordan's] lack of major donor relationships is a major red flag for some members,” said the senior GOP aide.
