Despite reports Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., might ultimately end his run for speaker, Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., told Newsmax that the notion is premature.
"That is absolutely not true," Meuser told Thursday's "National Report" about Scalise ending his candidacy, saying Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is going to make a House GOP appeal to back Scalise as speaker.
"Steve Scalise does have over 200 of our 222 members, so he is by far the leading candidate. Of course, we voted for him by majority in our conference. Jim Jordan has stated he would come out and nominate Steve Scalise, because I was backing Jim Jordan as well.
"So we believe that that will move forward."
There remain holdouts that need to be convinced to vote for Scalise as speaker, but Jordan's endorsement should help move the needle, according to Meuser.
"Now, come the end of the day, he will need — whoever is the speaker — needs 217 votes, so we shall see, but Steve Scalise is the leading candidate and remains very much the front runner in this race," Meuser added to co-hosts Shaun Kraisman and Emma Rechenberg.
Jordan plans to be the one to nominate Scalise to kick off the House floor vote Thursday.
"I will nominate Steve on the floor," Jordan told reporters. "I hope we can unite around a speaker and get doing the work of the American people."
Meuser is hoping Jordan will run to be Scalise's No. 2 as House GOP majority leader.
"We have a vast majority that's supporting Steve at this point," Meuser said. "We've got to get the 217 and, look, I think Jim Jordan plays a big role here.
"I'm strongly supporting Jim. Actually I'm hoping he's going to run for majority leader because we need some new voices, some new attitude. The ideas are great. Our positions and policies are right on.
"But we need strong individuals like my friend Jim Jordan to work with Steve Scalise to execute these plans, so we can win the trust of the American people. That's the name of the game here. We have got to regroup. We've got to come together.
"The 11 or 12 who's got some issues at this point need to overcome those and, frankly, put the greater good put the country ahead of what might be some petty issues, frankly."
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Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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