Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., expressed her frustration Thursday night in the aftermath of Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., dropping out of the House speaker's race.
Malliotakis said she initially supported Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, to be former Speaker Kevin McCarthy's successor.
Jordan "did not get the most votes, Steve Scalise did" in the nomination process.
"If Steve Scalise doesn't have the votes then we need to see, maybe Jim Jordan can get to the 217 necessary. We never asked that question," she said.
Scalise dropped out after not being able to secure the votes needed to win the gavel; there were reportedly 20 Republicans who wouldn't support him, and he could only survive four "no" votes.
"There seems to be a small group that doesn't want to work with the team. And that is frustrating for me, because I'm fine with any of those three to be the speaker. I just want to get back to work and do my job," Malliotakis said.
"We have real world stuff happening," she added.
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