Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told Newsmax on Thursday that House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., is still short of the 218 votes needed in the chamber to become the next House speaker.
"That's what Steve does best. He'll get on the phone, and he'll go see them and talk to them, and figure out where they're at," Burchett said on "Wake Up America."
Despite Scalise winning a closed-door Republican vote for speaker on Tuesday, beating out Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, 113-99, Scalise doesn't have the needed 218 floor majority of Republicans to win a vote, Reuters reported.
"It's not over yet. That was the inside race. Now the outside race starts," Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who voted for Jordan, told Reuters.
Republicans hold a narrow 221-212 majority in the House and can't afford to lose that many votes from their caucus to win votes.
Burchett said the House issued another recess without holding a floor vote because many members were not in Washington, with several Republican members visiting Israel due to the current crisis.
"The reality was [that the] logistics weren't there," Burchett said. "A lot of folks weren't here. We had several Democrats that were out, and actually, we have Republican in Israel right now. So, we've we're trying to get everybody there, and I think it gives Steve a chance to make sure he's got his votes counted."
The House can't take any other actions, including providing any kind of aid to Israel, until a speaker is chosen.
Axios reported that several Republican House members are undecided in who they will support for Speaker.
"There are a lot of members who are undecided — I'm one of them," Axios reported House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Turner, R-Ohio, saying on CNN. "[Scalise] is going to have to make the case as to how he can pull the conference together after what has been really a traumatic time and chaos on Capitol Hill."
Scalise, 58, told Reuters on Tuesday that he is still working on unifying the party.
"We're working hard to get unified. We need to get unified because the world is not waiting," Scalise said. "Obviously, we still have work to do."
Burchett said a vote could come Thursday, but he said he doesn't know how it will turn out.
"I think it's going to happen today, but the reality is what's going on in Israel," Burchett said. "I have no idea [what the vote may be]."
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Charles Kim ✉
Charles Kim, a Newsmax general assignment writer, is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years in reporting on news and politics.
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