House speaker contender Steve Scalise reportedly called himself 'David Duke without the baggage'

[speak easy]

Steve Scalise, the Louisiana Republican whom some in his party reportedly want to elect as speaker of the US House of Representatives after the stunning and historic removal of Kevin McCarthy, was once reported to have called himself “David Duke without the baggage”.

Scalise, now 57, was elected to Congress in 2008. He became Republican House whip in 2014 and was elected majority leader in 2022, as a hardline conservative acceptable to the far right of his party, which has now successfully rebelled against McCarthy.

Immediately after the vote to remove McCarthy, however, the ringleader of the motion to vacate, Matt Gaetz of Florida, used his first remarks to say Scalise would be “a phenomenal speaker”.

Politico’s Olivia Beavers reported later Tuesday that Scalise had started to “reach out to [House] members” ahead of launching a bid for the speakership. CNN’s Melanie Zanona added that “a number of Republicans have already pledged their support”.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/03/steve-scalise-house-speaker-republicans