House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Republican of Louisiana, secured the nomination of his party to become the next House speaker in a closed-door GOP conference meeting on Wednesday. However, his election as speaker is not guaranteed, as he must win a majority vote on the House floor. With Democrats expected to vote against him, Scalise can only afford to lose four Republicans out of the 217 in the conference.

Scalise emerged as the frontrunner in the secret ballot election, receiving 113 votes while his opponent, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, won 99 votes. Many of Jordan's supporters have agreed to vote for Scalise on the House floor, but the number of Republicans opposing Scalise exceeds the number he can afford to lose. As a result, the vote by the full House, originally scheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday, has been postponed.

Several Republican lawmakers publicly announced their intention not to vote for Scalise. Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado tweeted her support for Jim Jordan, stating, "I will be voting for Jim Jordan to be Speaker of the House on the floor when the vote is called." Michael Cloud of Texas expressed his opposition to Scalise, citing concerns about a rushed nomination process. Carlos Gimenez of Florida declared his loyalty to Kevin McCarthy, stating he would only vote for McCarthy if instructed to do so.

Bob Good of Virginia tweeted his continued support for Jordan, arguing that the country cannot afford the status quo. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia also voiced her support for Jordan on Twitter, asserting that he is the fighter needed during this time of national crisis. Nancy Mace of South Carolina confirmed her plans to vote for Jim Jordan on the floor, citing her concerns about Scalise's past attendance at a white supremacist conference and his comparison to David Duke. Scalise had previously apologized in 2014 for giving a speech to the European-American Unity and Rights Organization (EURO), founded by white supremacist David Duke.

Max Miller of Ohio, a staunch supporter of Jordan, reaffirmed his vote for Jordan and expressed no intention of changing his vote. Chip Roy of Texas criticized the rushed vote and announced that he would not be voting for Scalise on the floor. Lloyd Smucker of Pennsylvania tweeted his dissatisfaction with the House GOP conference and expressed his intention to vote for Jim Jordan on the floor.

Additionally, there are lawmakers who have not committed to supporting Scalise yet. Thomas Massie of Kentucky told CBS News that he remains reluctant, while Mike Turner of Ohio expressed the need for Scalise to bridge the gap between the number of votes he currently has and the number he needs.

The divisions within the Republican Party threaten to complicate Scalise's election as speaker. After the closed-door nomination, the Republican Party delayed the election of the full House, originally scheduled for midafternoon, in order to regroup. This comes just a week after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted by a small right-wing bloc. The Republican infighting has left the House largely paralyzed, raising concerns about the ability to address pressing issues such as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Scalise, who has been the No. 2 leader in the chamber, faces challenges in consolidating support within the Republican conference. He has been marginalized by McCarthy, who has criticized him as ineffective and checked out, further complicating his bid for the speakership. Despite these challenges, Scalise emphasized the need for the House to quickly reconstitute itself and address the country's pressing issues.

The election for the next House speaker remains uncertain as Scalise navigates the divisions within his party and seeks to secure the necessary votes on the House floor.