LOUISIANA, USA — Congressman Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana emerged from Wednesday’s House Republican conference meeting as the top vote getter in the race for the chamber’s top office.
“We want to make sure we’re sending a message to people throughout the world that the House is open and doing the people’s business,” Scalise said.
Scalise narrowly defeated conservative firebrand Jim Jordan from Ohio.
The secret tally was reported to have been 113 to 99.
Scalise, currently the house majority leader will still need to secure 217 votes from the full chamber to take the gavel.
Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana from New Orleans predicts Scalise will ultimately get the votes needed to be speaker.
“Assuredly, there’s been issues that will divide republicans and democrats,” Carter said. “I’m hopeful that a Speaker Scalise will be able to bridge that divide and create more of a bi-partisan effort to solving the issues that plague not only Louisiana but the rest of our country.”
Carter says he and Scalise served in the Louisiana legislature together and have been friends for a long time.
“We have been able to work side by side for significant wins for the people of Louisiana. I enjoy the relationship that we have and look forward to working further now for Louisiana and the rest of the country.”
State Senator Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge called Scalise the ultimate reach across the aisle type of leader.
“We’re a small state,” Talbot said. “We only have 4 million people, 6 Congressmen and women. For a small state like ours to have the speaker of the house helps us out. Personally, I think he’d be a great speaker and I hope he gets it.”
Scalise said with the crisis in the Middle East, it’s time to get back to work.
“Making sure that we are unequivocally standing and our first resolution that we pass under Speaker Steve Scalise would be to make it clear that we stand with Israel.”
Former Republican State Senator, John Alario worked alongside Scalise in the Louisiana state house of representatives and in the state senate, he said, "Steve was always a very likeable person, you could disagree with him but he understood to let that go, at night we would go out and have a beer and he was back to being Steve Scalise."
Alario says Scalise's strength is being able to work with everyone, "The fact he could cross over party lines, talk with people and have a good relationship with them.
Alario believes getting the 217 votes could be a challenge for Scalise, but says if he wins the spot, he could shine light on issues only Louisianans face.
"He'll be able to bring that attention we need in addressing flood insurance for one thing, some people in other parts of the country don't understand why we have that need."
As of late Wednesday afternoon, Congressman Scalise was reportedly still gathering the votes needed to become speaker of the house.
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