House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., the No. 2 Republican in the House of Representatives and the most tenured figure among the chamber's party leadership, declined to say whether he would commit to serving the full term in the upcoming 120th Congress.
asserted
he → decline → Congress
"There’s no decision on what’s next," Scalise said on Wednesday.
asserted
Scalise → ’ → Wednesday
"I’ve got to get through these next few weeks, and then we have a lot of decisions to make about what's life going to look like in the minority.
asserted
life → get → minority
But I sure still have a great passion for this country."
asserted
I → have → country
Scalise’s answer follows a loss to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, in a bid to become the party’s new minority leader.
asserted
answer → follow → bid
His defeat now forces Scalise to decide whether he intends to retire or remain on Capitol Hill as a rank-and-file member of the minority as Democrats retake control of the House in January.
asserted
Democrats → force → January
For now, Scalise stressed that he remains focused on securing GOP priorities before the new year.
asserted
he → stress → year
"There’s a lot more for us to do.
asserted
us → ’ → ?
We have a few weeks left in the lame duck [session] and, frankly, a few big, big issues ahead.
asserted
We → have → session
I want to see us do as much as we possibly can while we still have this majority," Scalise said.
uncertain
Scalise → want → majority
"I’ve got a lot more gas in the tank.
asserted
I → get → tank
Obviously, all of us know there’s some real change coming in January.
asserted
all → know → January
We still have work to do right now."
asserted
We → have → work
Jordan beat out Scalise in a 106-73 vote in Tuesday’s GOP elections.
asserted
Jordan → beat → elections
Scalise, who was elected in 2008 and first joined Republican leadership in 2014, proved a steady figure and mouthpiece for conservative principles even as the party shifted dramatically around him.
asserted
party → elect → him
Scalise originally served as House whip alongside Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
asserted
Scalise → serve → Boehner
Although Boehner would eventually step down after the right flank of the party accused him of failing to secure GOP priorities, Scalise remained a constant, continuing to serve as whip under his successor, Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.
asserted
Scalise → step → successor
Around the same time, Donald Trump, then just a candidate for president, began gaining momentum in the GOP primary.
asserted
Trump → begin → primary
As the party’s core began to gravitate toward Trump, Scalise’s time in Congress and personal well-being were challenged when he was shot at a congressional baseball practice in 2017.
asserted
he → begin → 2017
Although the incident left him with health complications, the attack elevated Scalise’s national profile.
"Just left hospital.
asserted
attack → leave → hospital
Trump said in a post to social media at the time.
asserted
Trump → say → time
In 2023, Scalise would climb to the No. 2 job, becoming majority leader after Republicans recaptured the House of Representatives under Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
And when McCarthy himself was removed from the post for failing to deliver Republican demands to cut spending, Scalise launched an unsuccessful bid for speaker.
asserted
Scalise → climb → speaker
Instead, Scalise remained majority leader as Republicans rallied around Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
Asked if he would have done anything differently in his most recent bid to lead the House GOP, Scalise said he had no regrets.
asserted
he → remain → regrets
"Nothing that could have been done differently in the leadership race," Scalise said.
uncertain
Scalise → do → race
I mean, these leadership jobs take a lot of time, a lot of focus.
asserted
jobs → mean → focus
I love doing the work… it takes you away from your family, from other things that you enjoy doing back home.
asserted
you → do → that
I’ll have a little more free time there," he added.
asserted
he → have → time
Following the Nov. 3 midterm elections, Republicans have a little under seven weeks to press for legislative priorities with their majorities in the House and Senate.
asserted
Republicans → follow → House
The 120th Congress is set to begin on Jan. 3, 2027.
asserted
Congress → set → Jan.
The Aporia
