In a surprise move Thursday, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise announced that he is withdrawing his name from the race for the vacant House speaker role.
"I just shared with my colleagues that I'm withdrawing my name as a candidate for the speaker designee," Scalise told reporters.
The Republican conference on Wednesday nominated Scalise for the speaker position, which has sat vacant since California Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted in a historic vote last week.
"There are still some people that have their own agendas," Scalise said of his decision to drop out.
"This House of Representatives needs a speaker and we need to open up the House again," the Louisiana congressman added. "But clearly, not everybody is there and they're still schisms that have to get resolved."
Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the chair of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, received 99 votes during Wednesday's closed-door meeting.
