<p>Republicans nominated conservative hardliner Jim Jordan as their candidate&nbsp;for speaker&nbsp;of the&nbsp;US House of Representatives on Friday, as the lower chamber of Congress entered its 10th day of a leadership vacuum that has paralysed Washington.</p>

<p>The party has been in disarray since right-wing rebels forced out Kevin McCarthy, leaving the&nbsp;Republican-controlled House unable to address mounting crises, including a looming government shutdown and US ally Israel waging a war on Hamas after deadly attacks.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/house-republicans-nominate-steve-scalise-as-speaker-nominee-645572">US Republican Scalise on top but yet to win full vote to be House Speaker</a></strong></p>

<p>Louisiana Representative Steve Scalise was initially seen as the best hope for a new standard-bearer who could heal the party's bitter divides, and he beat Jordan to the nomination in a secret ballot earlier this week.</p>

<p>But the 59-year-old Ohioan, backed by former president Donald Trump, gets a second chance now since Scalise dropped out, after it became clear he lacked the 217 votes necessary to prevail in the full House.</p>

<p>Republicans preferred Jordan, a darling of the right but a divisive figure in more mainstream circles, over Georgia congressman Austin Scott in the Republicans' second internal nomination vote of the week.</p>

<p>"I highly respect Jim Jordan. He is an asset to the&nbsp;Republican&nbsp;Party," Scott said in a social media post following the vote.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Our conference has spoken, and now we must unite behind Jordan so we can get Congress back to work."</p>

<p>Unlike McCarthy and Scalise, Jordan has the trust of the party's most conservative faction, having spent years as a fringe rabble-rouser before getting the chairmanship of the powerful Judiciary Committee.</p>

<p>Crucially, he also has many admirers in the influential right-wing cable news ecosphere, most notably Fox News star Sean Hannity, who said lawmakers would be "crazy" to vote against Jordan.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>'Natural born principled leader'</h2>

<p>"He is a natural born principled leader who will lead house Republicans to unite vs the radical left on the house and senate," Hannity posted on social media.</p>

<p>Marjorie Taylor Greene, a colleague of Jordan in the hard right Freedom Caucus, said it was "yet to be seen" if he could win a vote in the full House but repeated her full-throated endorsement.</p>

<p>Jordan is disliked by moderates wary of his hardline outlook, and who remember his leading role in the downfall of a previous&nbsp;Republican&nbsp;speaker, John Boehner, and in the longest US government shutdown in history, in 2018.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He beat Scott by 124 votes to 81, meaning he will need to find support from another 90-plus Republicans to win the vote in the full House.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He called a "validation vote" immediately after his nomination to ask members if they would vote for him on the floor. Only 152 of his colleagues said yes.</p>

<p>"We have a lot of members who just feel like they will let perfect be the enemy of the good," said centre-right congressman Dusty Johnson.</p>

<p>"That is not how any functional government, or any functional marriage, or any functional business works."</p>

<p>With several Democrats and Republicans already out of town, the House adjourned for the weekend without voting -- giving Jordan precious extra hours to boost his support.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The most extreme members of the Republican&nbsp;caucus have hijacked their party and paralyzed Congress," said Seth Magaziner, a Democratic congressman from Rhode Island.</p>

<p>"Without a speaker, we cannot protect our national security."</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Republicans nominated conservative hardliner Jim Jordan as their candidate for speaker of the US House of Representatives on Friday, as the lower chamber of Congress entered its 10th day of a leadership vacuum that has paralysed Washington.

Republicans nominated conservative hardliner Jim Jordan as their candidate for speaker of the US House of Representatives on Friday, as the lower chamber of Congress entered its 10th day of a leadership vacuum that has paralysed Washington. The party has been in disarray since right-wing rebels forced out Kevin McCarthy, leaving the Republican-controlled House unable to address mounting crises, including a looming government shutdown and US ally Israel waging a war on Hamas after deadly attacks. Also read | US Republican Scalise on top but yet to win full vote to be House Speaker Louisiana Representative Steve Scalise was initially seen as the best hope for a new standard-bearer who could heal the party's bitter divides, and he beat Jordan to the nomination in a secret ballot earlier this week. But the 59-year-old Ohioan, backed by former president Donald Trump, gets a second chance now since Scalise dropped out, after it became clear he lacked the 217 votes necessary to prevail in the full House. Republicans preferred Jordan, a darling of the right but a divisive figure in more mainstream circles, over Georgia congressman Austin Scott in the Republicans' second internal nomination vote of the week. "I highly respect Jim Jordan. He is an asset to the Republican Party," Scott said in a social media post following the vote. "Our conference has spoken, and now we must unite behind Jordan so we can get Congress back to work." Unlike McCarthy and Scalise, Jordan has the trust of the party's most conservative faction, having spent years as a fringe rabble-rouser before getting the chairmanship of the powerful Judiciary Committee. Crucially, he also has many admirers in the influential right-wing cable news ecosphere, most notably Fox News star Sean Hannity, who said lawmakers would be "crazy" to vote against Jordan. 'Natural born principled leader' "He is a natural born principled leader who will lead house Republicans to unite vs the radical left on the house and senate," Hannity posted on social media. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a colleague of Jordan in the hard right Freedom Caucus, said it was "yet to be seen" if he could win a vote in the full House but repeated her full-throated endorsement. Jordan is disliked by moderates wary of his hardline outlook, and who remember his leading role in the downfall of a previous Republican speaker, John Boehner, and in the longest US government shutdown in history, in 2018. He beat Scott by 124 votes to 81, meaning he will need to find support from another 90-plus Republicans to win the vote in the full House. He called a "validation vote" immediately after his nomination to ask members if they would vote for him on the floor. Only 152 of his colleagues said yes. "We have a lot of members who just feel like they will let perfect be the enemy of the good," said centre-right congressman Dusty Johnson. "That is not how any functional government, or any functional marriage, or any functional business works." With several Democrats and Republicans already out of town, the House adjourned for the weekend without voting -- giving Jordan precious extra hours to boost his support. "The most extreme members of the Republican caucus have hijacked their party and paralyzed Congress," said Seth Magaziner, a Democratic congressman from Rhode Island. "Without a speaker, we cannot protect our national security." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US: After Scalise, Republicans nominate pro-Trump Jim Jordan for speaker, hurdles remain

<p>Republican Steve Scalise said late on Thursday (Oct 12) that he was dropping out of the race to be speaker of the US House of Representatives.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Scalise informed his GOP colleagues during a private evening meeting of his decision, refraining from endorsing anyone, including his main rival, Rep. Jim Jordan, the far-right Judiciary Committee chairman favoured by former US president&nbsp;Donald Trump, who had already withdrawn from seeking the position.</p>

<p>The future steps remain uncertain, as the House is essentially closed while the Republican majority seeks to elect a new speaker after ousting Kevin McCarthy from the role in an unprecedented vote orchestrated by party hardliners.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/house-republicans-nominate-steve-scalise-as-speaker-nominee-645572">Republican Scalise on top but yet to win full vote to be House Speaker</a></strong></p>

<p>When asked about supporting Jordan, Scalise told journalists the need for selfless individuals, stating, "It's got to be people that aren't doing it for themselves and their own personal interest."</p>

<p>Scalise had been striving to gain the support of over 100 representatives, mainly from those backing Jordan. However, many hardliners aligned with Trump were determined to prolong the fight to replace McCarthy after his historic removal from the position.</p>

<p>The hold-outs argued that Scalise as majority leader was not a better choice, should focus on his health amid his battle with cancer, and did not align with their vision of leadership.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-steve-scalise-choice-of-house-republicans-to-be-speaker-of-lower-house-of-us-congress-645625">Who is Steve Scalise? Choice of House Republicans to be Speaker of lower house of US Congress</a></strong></p>

<p>The House adjourned late in the night, with plans to reconvene early on Friday (Oct 13).</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Kevin McCarthy, the first speaker to be ousted in a&nbsp;vote, said that Scalise would continue as majority leader.</p>

<p>While McCarthy had briefly considered a comeback bid, it seemed unlikely, Associated Press reported.</p>

<p>"I just think the conference as a whole has to address their issues, find a solution, and select a new leader," he concluded.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Republican Steve Scalise said late on Thursday (Oct 12) that he was dropping out of the race to be speaker of the US House of Representatives. Scalise informed his GOP colleagues during a private evening meeting of his decision, refraining from endorsing anyone, including his main rival, Rep.

Republican Steve Scalise said late on Thursday (Oct 12) that he was dropping out of the race to be speaker of the US House of Representatives. Scalise informed his GOP colleagues during a private evening meeting of his decision, refraining from endorsing anyone, including his main rival, Rep. Jim Jordan, the far-right Judiciary Committee chairman favoured by former US president Donald Trump, who had already withdrawn from seeking the position. The future steps remain uncertain, as the House is essentially closed while the Republican majority seeks to elect a new speaker after ousting Kevin McCarthy from the role in an unprecedented vote orchestrated by party hardliners. Also read | Republican Scalise on top but yet to win full vote to be House Speaker When asked about supporting Jordan, Scalise told journalists the need for selfless individuals, stating, "It's got to be people that aren't doing it for themselves and their own personal interest." Scalise had been striving to gain the support of over 100 representatives, mainly from those backing Jordan. However, many hardliners aligned with Trump were determined to prolong the fight to replace McCarthy after his historic removal from the position. The hold-outs argued that Scalise as majority leader was not a better choice, should focus on his health amid his battle with cancer, and did not align with their vision of leadership. Also read | Who is Steve Scalise? Choice of House Republicans to be Speaker of lower house of US Congress The House adjourned late in the night, with plans to reconvene early on Friday (Oct 13). Meanwhile, Kevin McCarthy, the first speaker to be ousted in a vote, said that Scalise would continue as majority leader. While McCarthy had briefly considered a comeback bid, it seemed unlikely, Associated Press reported. "I just think the conference as a whole has to address their issues, find a solution, and select a new leader," he concluded. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Steve Scalise of Republican Party drops out of US House speaker race

<p>Steve Scalise, the US House Republicans' choice&nbsp;for the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, has dropped out of the race.</p>

<p>This puts the issue of speakership into disarray again, after a virtual coup by Republican hardliners led to an unprecedented vote that ousted Kevin McCarthy from the post, which is the third most powerful in the US.</p>

<p>In a vote,&nbsp;Scalise had outperformed his rival, Jim Jordan, with a vote count of 113 to 99. But Scalise reportedly informed his GOP colleagues&nbsp;of his decision to drop out during a private evening meeting.</p>

<p>The leader, however,&nbsp;refrained&nbsp;from endorsing anyone, including his main rival,&nbsp;Jordan, the far-right Judiciary Committee chairman favoured by former US president&nbsp;Donald Trump, who had already withdrawn from seeking the position.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/house-republicans-nominate-steve-scalise-as-speaker-nominee-645572">US House Republicans name Steve Scalise as speaker nominee</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Early career</strong></h2>

<p>Scalise, aged 58, initially entered politics in 2008, winning a special election to replace Bobby Jindal, who had&nbsp;become governor.</p>

<p>Beginning his political journey at Louisiana State University, Scalise was twice elected as the speaker of LSU's Student Government Association. He served for 12 years in Louisiana's state Legislature before his election to the US House.</p>

<p>A turning point in his career occurred in 2012 when he became the chairman of the influential Republican Study Group.</p>

<p>While serving as the House majority whip in 2017, Scalise survived a gunshot incident in Alexandria, Virginia, during a congressional baseball game.</p>

<p>In August, Scalise disclosed a diagnosis of multiple myeloma, a treatable blood cancer, and began treatment. He has been vocal while&nbsp;advocating for fiscal discipline, lower taxes, a robust national defence, strong border security, freedom, and purported conservative values.</p>

<h2><strong>Scalise's notable achievements</strong></h2>

<p>Notable achievements include his contributions to the passage of the historic Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the USMCA (US-Mexico-Canada Agreement) trade deal, both of which are known to have significantly boosted the US economy.</p>

<p>According to his website, Scalise's legislative focus remains on issues that directly affect Americans, such as school safety, border security, parental involvement in education, reducing reliance on China, and pursuing investigations into the origins of Covid pandemic.</p>

<p>The role of Speaker is among the most significant in the US government. Hardline Republicans made predecessor Kevin McCarthy the first speaker to be ousted in a historic Oct 3 vote.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Kevin McCarthy ousted as House speaker, a first in US history</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/kevin-mccarthy-ousted-as-house-speaker-a-first-in-us-history-642324/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>McCarthy was the third consecutive Republican speaker to leave the top post due to pressure from his hard-right flank.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Steve Scalise, the US House Republicans' choice for the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, has dropped out of the race. This puts the issue of speakership into disarray again, after a virtual coup by Republican hardliners led to an unprecedented vote that ousted Kevin McCarthy from the post, which is the third most powerful in the US.

Steve Scalise, the US House Republicans' choice for the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, has dropped out of the race. This puts the issue of speakership into disarray again, after a virtual coup by Republican hardliners led to an unprecedented vote that ousted Kevin McCarthy from the post, which is the third most powerful in the US. In a vote, Scalise had outperformed his rival, Jim Jordan, with a vote count of 113 to 99. But Scalise reportedly informed his GOP colleagues of his decision to drop out during a private evening meeting. The leader, however, refrained from endorsing anyone, including his main rival, Jordan, the far-right Judiciary Committee chairman favoured by former US president Donald Trump, who had already withdrawn from seeking the position. Also read | US House Republicans name Steve Scalise as speaker nominee Early career Scalise, aged 58, initially entered politics in 2008, winning a special election to replace Bobby Jindal, who had become governor. Beginning his political journey at Louisiana State University, Scalise was twice elected as the speaker of LSU's Student Government Association. He served for 12 years in Louisiana's state Legislature before his election to the US House. A turning point in his career occurred in 2012 when he became the chairman of the influential Republican Study Group. While serving as the House majority whip in 2017, Scalise survived a gunshot incident in Alexandria, Virginia, during a congressional baseball game. In August, Scalise disclosed a diagnosis of multiple myeloma, a treatable blood cancer, and began treatment. He has been vocal while advocating for fiscal discipline, lower taxes, a robust national defence, strong border security, freedom, and purported conservative values. Scalise's notable achievements Notable achievements include his contributions to the passage of the historic Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the USMCA (US-Mexico-Canada Agreement) trade deal, both of which are known to have significantly boosted the US economy. According to his website, Scalise's legislative focus remains on issues that directly affect Americans, such as school safety, border security, parental involvement in education, reducing reliance on China, and pursuing investigations into the origins of Covid pandemic. The role of Speaker is among the most significant in the US government. Hardline Republicans made predecessor Kevin McCarthy the first speaker to be ousted in a historic Oct 3 vote. Also watch | Kevin McCarthy ousted as House speaker, a first in US history × McCarthy was the third consecutive Republican speaker to leave the top post due to pressure from his hard-right flank. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Who is Steve Scalise? Republican who dropped out of House Speaker race

<p>The Republican members of the House of Representatives had their mobile phones confiscated hours before nominating the new speaker.</p>

<p>On Wednesday (Oct 11), Republicans named House Majority Leader Steve Scalise the party's choice for speaker of the House. The voting was necessitated after Kevin McCarthy was suddenly ousted last week.</p>

<p>In order to maintain the secrecy of the whole nomination process and prevent the information of the result from leaking out to the public, the Republican lawmakers were told to leave their phones with the staffers, who placed each phone in an envelope and gave each lawmaker a note card with a number, Business Insider reported.</p>

<p>Marjorie Taylor Greene, who represents Georgia, said that she was "happy with" the decision, as it would cut down on "live tweeting of what's being said in our conference meetings."</p>

<p>"Not of fan of snitches," she said.</p>

<h2><strong>Phones put in envelopes&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Several photos circulated on social media X showed envelopes&nbsp;containing lawmakers' phones and members standing in a long queue to get phones back.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">All warranted criticism, which I am frustrated with.<br />
<br />
However, at least checking our cell phones has cut down on your live tweeting of what’s being said in our conference meetings and that part I’m happy with.<br />
<br />
Not of fan of snitches. <a href="https://t.co/IJZbMHMumZ">https://t.co/IJZbMHMumZ</a></p>
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMTG/status/1712097971595067727?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">These are the members’ cell phones. They had to put them in yellow envelopes and place it in this pile before they entered the room. <a href="https://t.co/bbS8ouTNyZ">pic.twitter.com/bbS8ouTNyZ</a></p>
— Leigh Ann Caldwell (@LACaldwellDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LACaldwellDC/status/1712114123855507551?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cell phone cubby en route? <a href="https://t.co/u11fkHqKnf">pic.twitter.com/u11fkHqKnf</a></p>
— Joe Perticone (@JoePerticone) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoePerticone/status/1712141803460211197?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">minor chaos as House Republicans emerge to retrieve their phones. each one has a number for their cubby. staffer tells reporters to step back. <a href="https://t.co/uZw4IWECPk">pic.twitter.com/uZw4IWECPk</a></p>
— bryan metzger (@metzgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/metzgov/status/1712156392004481480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>When the meeting was over, the lawmakers had to wait in long queues as they presented their respective note cards to staff.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Scalise, despite being nominated as the Republican’s choice for the speaker, has another major hurdle to pass.</p>

<p>He now has to secure a majority of votes from the entire House, which is currently in recess, to officially become the Speaker. He needs at least 217 votes out of 435 to win the job.</p>

<h2><strong>Task cut out for Scalise&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Acting Speaker Patrick McHenry said that Scalise had the right to “put his votes together for the floor and make sure the timing is right” and that he did not know when the House would reconvene for the final vote.</p>

<p>Before selecting Scalise, Republicans rejected a proposal that would have required their nominee to secure 217 of their 221 votes.</p>

<p>That allowed Scalise to win the nomination quickly, but left open the question of whether he would face a repeat of the battle in January for the role of speaker, which played out over four days.</p>

<p>Scalise said his first action as speaker would be to schedule a vote on a resolution making clear that the United States stands with Israel in its war with Hamas&nbsp;militants&nbsp;in Gaza.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


The Republican members of the House of Representatives had their mobile phones confiscated hours before nominating the new speaker. On Wednesday (Oct 11), Republicans named House Majority Leader Steve Scalise the party's choice for speaker of the House.

The Republican members of the House of Representatives had their mobile phones confiscated hours before nominating the new speaker. On Wednesday (Oct 11), Republicans named House Majority Leader Steve Scalise the party's choice for speaker of the House. The voting was necessitated after Kevin McCarthy was suddenly ousted last week. In order to maintain the secrecy of the whole nomination process and prevent the information of the result from leaking out to the public, the Republican lawmakers were told to leave their phones with the staffers, who placed each phone in an envelope and gave each lawmaker a note card with a number, Business Insider reported. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who represents Georgia, said that she was "happy with" the decision, as it would cut down on "live tweeting of what's being said in our conference meetings." "Not of fan of snitches," she said. Phones put in envelopes Several photos circulated on social media X showed envelopes containing lawmakers' phones and members standing in a long queue to get phones back. All warranted criticism, which I am frustrated with. However, at least checking our cell phones has cut down on your live tweeting of what’s being said in our conference meetings and that part I’m happy with. Not of fan of snitches. https://t.co/IJZbMHMumZ — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 11, 2023 × These are the members’ cell phones. They had to put them in yellow envelopes and place it in this pile before they entered the room. pic.twitter.com/bbS8ouTNyZ — Leigh Ann Caldwell (@LACaldwellDC) October 11, 2023 × Cell phone cubby en route? pic.twitter.com/u11fkHqKnf — Joe Perticone (@JoePerticone) October 11, 2023 × minor chaos as House Republicans emerge to retrieve their phones. each one has a number for their cubby. staffer tells reporters to step back. pic.twitter.com/uZw4IWECPk — bryan metzger (@metzgov) October 11, 2023 × When the meeting was over, the lawmakers had to wait in long queues as they presented their respective note cards to staff. Meanwhile, Scalise, despite being nominated as the Republican’s choice for the speaker, has another major hurdle to pass. He now has to secure a majority of votes from the entire House, which is currently in recess, to officially become the Speaker. He needs at least 217 votes out of 435 to win the job. Task cut out for Scalise Acting Speaker Patrick McHenry said that Scalise had the right to “put his votes together for the floor and make sure the timing is right” and that he did not know when the House would reconvene for the final vote. Before selecting Scalise, Republicans rejected a proposal that would have required their nominee to secure 217 of their 221 votes. That allowed Scalise to win the nomination quickly, but left open the question of whether he would face a repeat of the battle in January for the role of speaker, which played out over four days. Scalise said his first action as speaker would be to schedule a vote on a resolution making clear that the United States stands with Israel in its war with Hamas militants in Gaza. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Republican members' phones confiscated for hours while voting for new House speaker: Report