Kevin McCarthy's Ouster: Is Steve Scalise in the Catbird Seat?

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise could be in line for the top job in Congress's lower chamber after Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, is a potential candidate for the top job in Congress's lower chamber after Speaker Kevin McCarthy's removal. However, being the No. 2 House Republican does not guarantee his ascension to the position of speaker. U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-North Carolina, has been appointed as speaker pro tempore to run the House until a new speaker is elected. The next steps need to be decided quickly to ensure the party's majority next year. The replacement for McCarthy, a Republican from California, is still uncertain, but Scalise is frequently mentioned as a possible successor. Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, supports Scalise despite his recent diagnosis with a rare blood cancer. Other potential candidates include House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minnesota; New York Congresswoman Elsie Stefanik; and Rep. Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican. However, all three of them joined Scalise in trying to convince fellow House Republicans not to oust McCarthy. Scalise and his colleagues emphasized the importance of staying focused on their mission and changing the House's processes and procedures. All six of Louisiana's House Republicans voted against removing McCarthy, while Democratic Rep. Troy Carter voted in favor. Scalise has been in Congress since 2008 and has held various leadership positions within the Republican Party. Conservatives want the federal government's spending budget to be decided in 12 separate bills, rather than one omnibus bill, and they want these bills to reflect Republican positions. McCarthy's attempt to pass a short-term spending resolution was rejected by conservatives, leading to the government shutdown.