The two leading GOP candidates for House speaker have now reportedly decided that a televised debate wouldn’t be “wise” to engage in.
Fox News had reportedly planned to air a televised debate between Republican Representatives Jim Jordan of Ohio and Steve Scalise of Louisiana.
Scalise and Jordan declared their candidacies for Speaker of the House shortly after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was removed from office on Tuesday.
In addition, Oklahoma GOP Rep. Kevin Hern, the chair of the Republican Study Committee, has informed members of the Texas delegation that he intends to run, according to one of those lawmakers, Rep. Michael McCaul.
McCarthy has stated that he will not again run for speaker.
Another source familiar tells me that Scalise and Jordan talked and agreed it wouldn’t be wise.
The forum is off. https://t.co/mRUBERyMnk
— Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) October 6, 2023
Hern was also listed as a potential debater, but he announced via social media on Friday morning that he would not participate. He added that he has not yet decided whether to run.
None of the announced candidates or the most likely rival is near to securing the 218 votes required to win the speaker’s gavel.
Roughly a quarter of the Republican conference has publicly endorsed a candidate, and Democratic support for any Republican candidate is unlikely.
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