Florida delegation split on who should be next U.S. Speaker

Greg Steube, Jim Jordan. Image via Twitter.

After Donald Trump endorsed U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan for House Speaker, U.S. Rep. Greg Steube followed suit. But those Florida Republicans who have publicly announced a preference remain split on who should succeed ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

U.S. Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart on Thursday joined U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan in publicly backing Majority Leader Steve Scalise. Steube followed Donalds in voicing support for Jordan.

Steube initially backed Trump for the post. While it has never happened in U.S. history, the House allows for Representatives to select a Speaker who is not a member of the House. After inter-caucus feuding led to McCarthy’s firing, Steube suggested Trump could bring the caucus together.

“We need somebody to unite our conference,” Steube told Fox News, “and I honestly believe he’s the only person that can do that. He is the America First agenda. We need the American First agenda to be displayed in the House of Representatives.”

Steube notably endorsed the former President’s comeback campaign for the White House in April.

But Trump, after initially dancing around whether he would serve as President, endorsed Jordan for Speaker in a Truth Social post overnight.

Steube early Friday joined him.

“I encouraged Donald Trump to run for Speaker because he could unite the Republican conference in historic ways. But I have full confidence in President Trump’s pick for our Speaker: Jim Jordan,” Steube posted on X.

“We must unite around Chairman Jordan, who has led the charge in the Weaponization Committee’s and House Judiciary Committee’s critical work to protect our freedoms. Jim is a great patriot who can get the job done! He holds the respect of so many in our conference and I trust him to lead!”

U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a St. Petersburg Republican, also endorsed Jordan in the wake of the Trump endorsement.

“I am casting my vote for Speaker of the 118th Congress and give my full endorsement to my friend and colleague Representative Jim Jordan,” she posted on X. “He is fair, honest, articulate, and Trustworthy. He has demonstrated all of these as Chairman of House Judiciary. This is a vote to stop weaponized government and to hold the Biden administration accountable.”

U.S. Rep. Cory Mills is now also backing Jordan.

“Jim is a constitutionally principled and fiscally responsible leader,” Mills posted on X. “Jim has been a longtime friend for many years. He’s the right person to lead this 118th Congress. I’m blessed to serve with him.”

But other members of the Florida congressional delegation already committed publicly to supporting Scalise.

Díaz-Balart, a Hialeah Republican announced his support for the Majority Leader late Thursday. “No one is better prepared to lead the House from the minute they are elected than Steve Scalise,” Díaz-Balart posted on X.

And Buchanan told Florida Politics on Thursday he also favors Scalise.

“Steve Scalise is a proven leader and a battle-tested fighter,” the Longboat Key Republican said.

“He is exactly the right man to lead our country forward with his conservative, optimistic vision for the future as Republicans work to secure the border, restore fiscal sanity to Washington and get our country back on track. I am pleased to call Steve a true friend and know he will make us proud as the next Speaker of the House.”

Donalds, seen by some as a contender for the post himself, came out for Jordan on Thursday meanwhile.

“Jim Jordan has my full support to become the next Speaker of the House!” Donalds posted on X. “It’s time to get back to work for the American people.”