WASHINGTON D.C., DC — As Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) fights for votes within his conference, he told the press on Thursday that he is still confident he can secure enough votes to become Speaker of The House.
The Republican Majority Leader Scalise received the GOP nomination for Speaker on Wednesday, days after Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted from the position.
Still some Republicans spoke out against Scalise. On Wednesday, Scalise said he believes he has won some of those people over.
"The good news is our support continues to grow," Scalise said. "We're going to continue to narrow the gap, and we're going to continue the meetings."
Scalise can only afford to lose four Republican votes if all Democrats also vote against him and all members are also present. The speaker needs a simple majority of 217 votes. Scalise wants to earn his full party's backing before holding that vote.
"This majority has produced some very big policy wins for those hard-working families ... we've done it by getting a lot of different groups within our conference together," Scalise said. "So, I've asked that we convene those groups, as well as members who expressed individuals concerns ... so we can deal with those before we go to the floor."
The vote by the full House was originally scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. Wednesday but had been postponed.
According to CBS News, 18 Republicans said they would not vote for Scalise. Two others have not made up their minds.
Similarly, Scalise won a narrow majority of his conference vote during a secret ballot among House Republicans on Wednesday. Scalise received 113 votes on that ballot, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) had 99 votes.
"I plan on voting for Jim Jordan on the floor ... I personally cannot vote for someone who compared himself to David Duke," Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) told CNN on Wednesday. "I would be doing an enormous disservice to the voters I represent ... if I were to do that."
Scalise apologized in 2014 for a speech he gave in 2002 at a racist organization founded by the former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.
Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.) defended Scalise from Mace's accusations in a social media post on Thursday afternoon.
"I've known the man for 25 years ... In that time, however, I have never seen him display racial intolerance." Rep. Carter said. "I count him amongst my friends, and I wouldn't if I felt otherwise."
If elected by the full U.S. House the congressman, who represents parts of eight southeast Louisiana parishes, would become the first Speaker of The House from Louisiana.
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