In a bid to unify the fractured House Republican conference, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has pledged his support for the eventual nominee for speaker, even if it is not himself. In an interview with Politico, Scalise emphasized his ability to build coalitions and unite Republicans. He called on his potential opponents in the race, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, to do the same. Currently, Scalise and Jordan are the only two declared candidates vying for former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's vacant seat on the House floor.

Scalise acknowledged the "frustration and anger" within the conference over McCarthy's unprecedented removal but stated that he did not plan to punish any of the eight GOP members who voted in favor of Rep. Matt Gaetz's motion to vacate earlier in the week. He expressed a desire to get the conference back on track and bring Republicans together. Scalise, who has a background in building coalitions and uniting Republicans, revealed that he is open to changing the House GOP's motion to vacate rule, which allowed a single member to bring the motion to the floor for a vote. However, he stressed that consensus within the conference would be necessary for any changes to be made.

While Scalise showed openness to changing some rules, he was less inclined to change a rule that would likely ensure a smoother speaker election process. A group of 94 House Republicans wrote a letter requesting a special conference meeting to discuss a proposal that would allow a majority vote of the House to determine the winner of the speaker election. Currently, a simple majority of the GOP conference is needed to elect a House speaker. Scalise urged adherence to the current rules, saying, "We're running on what the rules have always been, so let's go get it done."

When asked about differences between himself and Jordan, Scalise deflected but noted that he is willing to take on entitlement reform as part of efforts to reduce spending and the national debt. He emphasized the need to address long-term debt and immediate issues leading to insolvency, such as Medicare and Social Security. The House is expected to begin the process of electing a new speaker next week.

In a surprising move, Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern announced on Saturday that he will be stepping back from the race for the next House speaker. Although Hern did not formally enter the race, he had been gauging his colleagues' interest after being floated as a viable candidate. In a letter to colleagues, Hern explained that a three-man race for speaker would only prolong the process, creating further division within the party. He expressed his support for Scalise and Jordan, both former RSC chairmen and proven leaders, and urged the conference to stay in the room, work together, and show unity in support of the eventual speaker candidate.

With Hern's withdrawal from the race, the two remaining formally-declared candidates for speaker are Scalise and Jordan. House Republicans are set to have a closed-door meeting on Monday evening, followed by a conference-wide candidate forum on Tuesday. An inter-party vote on the speaker is expected on Wednesday, with a House-wide vote to follow.