REPUBLICANS:...Hardliners Take Lead In House Speaker Search...Scalise and Jordan, Both MAGA...

 

By EDUARDO PAZ-MARTINEZ

McALLEN, Texas | Two well-known Republican hardliners are emerging as possible replacements for ousted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, one a former college wrestling coach accused of ignoring sexual harassment of his wrestlers by team doctors and the other a dude who says he is racist "David Duke without the baggage."

Meet the coach, Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio (shown at right in photo above)

And meet Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise, the David Duke fan (shown at left in photo above).

Both have surfaced as leading candidates for the thankless Speaker's post, both arriving with clear Donald J. Trump blessings, both talking tough about the Mexican border, the Joe Biden Administration, no aid for Ukraine and, among other issues, no more prosecution of the aforementioned Trump.

McCarthy was ousted in a stunning vote yesterday. He has now said he will not seek the job.

This about Scalise from a fellow Republican who requested anonymity: [Scalise’s moves are already being met with some backlash. One member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus suggested that Scalise would be no different than malleable McCarthy as speaker. "Since conservatives are concerned about the poor scheduling of appropriations bills this year, why would we elevate the person in charge of the schedule, the majority leader, to speaker?" the lawmaker asked. ]

The other candidate, 59-year-old Jordan shown in photo above, is a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus made up of hard-right Republicans also known as MAGA Republicans. Jordan at present is chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, the one that has been investigating presidential son Hunter Biden in what Republicans say is a case of wanton lawbreaking, bribery, tax fraud and drug-use.

Jordan was first elected in 2007 as congressman from Ohio's 4th District. Earlier in his adult life, he was a college wrestler and later a wrestling coach at Ohio State University, where he faced allegations of turning a blind eye to student wrestler complaints that the team doctor was sexually harassing them. Jordan has denied knowledge of the harassment.

Scalise's claim to fame had earlier come from being shot by an assailant as he practiced with the Republican Party's softball team in Washington, D.C. That incident, involving an armed man who later told police he did it because he hated Republicans, happened on July 14, 2017. Scalise suffered a serious wound to his upper thigh and left side of his torso, enduring long months of recovery and rehabilitation in a hospital.

Hardliner Scalise is 57. He represents the 1st Congressional District of Louisiana and has been serving as the House Majority Leader prior to McCarthy's ouster. He has been in Congress since 2008. (McCarthy is shown in photo above) 

A few other Republican members of the House have been mentioned, but it is Scalise and Jordan who seem to have the inside lane...

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