Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has pledged to vote against her party’s chosen nominee for House Speaker due to his battle with cancer.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) secured the nomination for the Speaker position by a slim 113-99 vote in a private meeting on Wednesday.
Greene, the controversial Georgian Republican and a supporter of Donald Trump-backed Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio.), on X (formerly known as Twitter), insisted that Scalise’s recent multiple myeloma diagnosis renders him less capable of the role.
In an X post, Greene expressed her fondness for Scalise but maintained that the battle against cancer should take precedence over his role in Congress. She emphasized the need for a Speaker capable of wholeheartedly fighting the “communist democrats.”
“I like Steve Scalise, and I like him so much that I want to see him defeat cancer more than sacrifice his health in the most difficult position in Congress,” said Greene in a written statement. “We need a Speaker who is able to put their full efforts into defeating the communist democrats and save America.”
Scalise was nominated by House Republicans behind closed doors over Jordan. He is expected to succeed former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who was ousted by the house led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)
“I just voted for Jim Jordan for Speaker on a private ballot in conference, and I will be voting for Jim Jordan on the House floor,” said Greene on X. “I like Steve Scalise, and I like him so much that I want to see him defeat cancer more than sacrifice his health in the most difficult position in.”
Despite Greene’s concerns, Scalise remains adamant about his capability to handle the responsibilities of the Speaker role while seeking treatment. In a statement released following his diagnosis in August, he affirmed his commitment to continue his work as Majority Leader, promising to confront his health challenges with the same vigor as before.
Scalise also survived an assassination attempt in 2017.
While Greene is not the only Republican to withhold support for Scalise, she is currently the sole lawmaker to publicly voice concerns over his health status.
Jordan was previously endorsed by former President Donald Trump for the speakership to replace McCarthy. He is currently the head of the House Judicial Committee and in charge of the investigation into President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.
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