Unpacking McCarthy, Jordan, and Scalise’s Pivotal Roles in the Speaker Fight

Reps. Kevin McCarthy, Jim Jordan, and Steve Scalise have had a complex and evolving working relationship over their nearly 16 years in the Capitol. They began serving around the same time, and McCarthy, a Republican from California, alternated between cooperating with Scalise, who hails from Louisiana, and distrusting him. During their first 12 years in Congress, McCarthy had intense conflicts with Jordan, an Ohio Republican who repeatedly challenged McCarthy’s rising-star status. However, four years ago, they forged a partnership that ultimately helped McCarthy become the Speaker of the House in January.
Currently, these three nine-term lawmakers are embroiled in a public clash to determine the future direction of the House GOP. McCarthy was recently ousted as Speaker, and Jordan and Scalise, the Majority Leader, presented their cases to the Republican conference on Tuesday, vying for the nomination in a closed, secret ballot scheduled for Wednesday. McCarthy initially attempted to reenter the race for Speaker on Monday, but he withdrew more than 30 hours later. Scalise’s supporters believe that McCarthy’s move was aimed at undermining Scalise’s support among a small group of Republicans from swing districts who view Jordan unfavorably.
These divisions among House Republicans have left veteran GOP lawmakers searching for ways to explain the deep rifts within their party. Rep. Darrell Issa, a Jordan supporter with 21 years of service, quipped, Friends may come and friends may go, but enemies accumulate. McCarthy, Jordan, and Scalise all arrived in Washington in January 2007, part of a small class of House GOP freshmen following the 2006 Democratic midterm wave.
McCarthy, Scalise, and Jordan represent different wings of the Republican Party. McCarthy focused on expanding the party’s reach by courting California’s tech and media industries. Scalise, from the Deep South, combined Christian conservatism with an anti-tax/pro-business stance. Jordan, representing the Midwest, championed hard-right populism, particularly in support of workers affected by closed auto plants and steel mills. Their early political careers coincided with John A. Boehner’s first term as GOP leader, an era often referred to as Boehner World.
McCarthy, already an insider, quickly rose through the ranks, forming a fundraising operation called Young Guns with rising GOP stars like Eric Cantor and Paul D. Ryan. Boehner and Cantor supported his ascent. In contrast, Jordan, who felt like an outcast in Boehner’s eyes, led the conservative Republican Study Committee. Scalise won an upset victory to succeed Jordan as RSC chair, which upset far-right conservatives. When Cantor lost his primary in 2014, McCarthy was poised to become the Majority Leader, and Scalise aimed for Majority Whip. Jordan’s wing of the conference opposed Scalise, but he ultimately won due to support from the Southern bloc.
The House Freedom Caucus, a breakaway group of conservative Republicans led by Jordan, created tensions that contributed to Boehner’s resignation in 2015. McCarthy and Scalise maintained a working relationship at this point, moving up the leadership ladder. But Jordan thwarted McCarthy’s path to the speakership, leading McCarthy to broker peace and offer Jordan influential roles.
The Trump presidency transformed Jordan from a marginalized figure to a prominent one. Jordan frequently clashed with then-Speaker Paul Ryan and contributed to his decision to retire. As the 2018 midterms approached, McCarthy was the presumed front-runner for Speaker, but Scalise gained attention after surviving a shooting in 2017.
The relationship between McCarthy, Scalise, and Jordan became strained when talk of a new leader emerged, particularly after Republicans lost the majority. Scalise eventually ran unopposed for the Minority Whip position. Jordan, however, contested McCarthy for Minority Leader, emphasizing the need to match President Trump’s intensity.
During their efforts to gain power within the party, McCarthy, Jordan, and Scalise managed to reconcile their differences and form a united front. In January, as Republicans secured the majority, Jordan and Rep. Patrick T. McHenry worked hard to secure the last votes for McCarthy. While McCarthy and McHenry cooperated on key negotiations, Scalise managed committee chairs and timed votes on legislation unlikely to pass the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Tensions persisted throughout the year, with rumors of disloyalty on both sides. McCarthy’s allies claimed that Scalise was not loyal enough, while Scalise’s supporters asserted that the Speaker did not trust the elected leadership team. Despite these divides, the three lawmakers are once again set to clash in the secret vote for Speaker. McCarthy has re-entered the race, potentially harming Scalise’s chances. The outcome remains uncertain, and the prospect of a new Speaker by the week’s end is uncertain. In the words of Rep. Darrell Issa, Inshallah, meaning If God wills it.