McCarthy is Gone – So Who Gets the Gavel?

 

History was made this month as for the first time ever a sitting Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, was removed. The drama dominated the headlines and sent news media into a frenzy. As covered by Fox News: 

“The final vote was 216 to 210 in favor of McCarthy’s ouster. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., introduced a measure against McCarthy known as a motion to vacate on Monday night, accusing him of breaking promises he made to win the speaker’s gavel in January.” 

The focus is now shifting to who will take over as Speaker of the House, third in line to the presidency. Thus far, two candidates have formally announced: Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana. 

Let’s take a look at their backgrounds, including the Students for Life Action (SFLAction) report card which scores their respective work for the pro-life movement. This has historically included measuring the level of support and involvement in pro-life activities, pro-life legislation supported or sponsored, and votes cast on key pro-life protections. 

 

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio 

Elected to Congress in 2006, the grassroots conservative has a strong track-record on life has made a name for himself as a hard-charging member of the House Oversight Committee and as Chair of the House Judiciary Committee. Jordan was also a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, serving as chair from 2015 to 2017. He led multiple hearings recently exposing Attorney General Merrick Garland for his overzealous prosecution of pro-life activists and traditional Catholics, while giving Antifa and violent pro-abortion extremists a pass.  

SFLAction Report Card Score: A+ 

 

Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana 

First elected to Congress in 2008, Scalise is a longtime ally of McCarthy and is the Republican Majority Leader in the House of Representatives. He was formerly the House Majority and Minority Whips, respectively. Scalise was on the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis as ranking member. Many learned more about him after a Congressional Baseball Game practice in 2017 when Scalise was shot by a Bernie Sanders supporter who was targeting Republicans in a terrorist act.  

SFLAction Report Card Score: C+

 

Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma

First elected to Congress in 2018, Hern is been a member of the Republican Study Committee. He is also a member of four committees, and eight subcommittees, and is the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access, and the Deputy Republican Leader on the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.

SFLAction Report Card Rank: A-

For a deep dive into the details of the votes, visit the Pro-Life Generation Score Card HERE. 

Beyond the two declared candidates, there are several rumored candidates that may enter the race, as well. Their scoring has also been provided, and a more in-depth discussion of their backgrounds will occur should they formally declare:   

• Rep. Elise Stefanik (R – NY) 

• • SFLAction Report Card Rank: B
    

• Rep. Byron Donalds (R – FL)  

• • SFLAction Report Card Rank: A- 

• Former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R – N.Y.)   

• • SFLAction Report Card Rank: B

• Rep. Tom Cole (R – OK)  

• • SFLAction Report Card Rank: C+ 

Presently, the Republican Party is seen as leading on key issues that matter most to the American public. According to a recent Gallup Poll, 53% percent of Americans believe the Republican Party will handle the economy better than the Democrat Party, and 57% believe that the GOP will handle national security better. And the Republican Party already leads the way on protecting mothers and their children, born and preborn, on the human rights issue of our day – abortion. SFLAction calls on the next Speaker to be a fearless and vocal defender of the most vulnerable persons in our society: the preborn.  

Heartbeat Abortion Prevention laws are needed at the federal level to save lives as more than 9 in 10 abortions take place after three months of pregnancy, and a heartbeat usually begins about halfway through that time frame. A recent USA Today poll found that Heartbeat protections polled as well as later limits. Among Republican voters that were asked “what the strictest limit on abortion they would support, 22% said restrictions at six weeks of pregnancy and 24% restrictions at 15 weeks (almost four months).” 

SFLAction is also working for strong legislation to address the lethal and poisonous scourge of Chemical Abortion used to commit the majority of abortions. The No Test, Online Distribution of Chemical Abortion Pills set up by the Biden Administration’s FDA exposes women to injury, infertility, death, and abusers, as well as creating a potential environmental hazard. Learn more at this is Chemical Abortion. 

Click here to read about SFLAction supports The Ending Chemical Abortions Act and Click here to read about support for The Protecting Life on College Campuses Act along with other exiting bills.  

As stated in a previous op-ed written by SFLAction President Kristan Hawkins:  

“These laws that take effect before a child can live outside the womb are possible because of promises kept by President Trump to appoint justices who actually read the Constitution. But our commitment to the unborn did not end with the injustice of Roe v. Wade. It begins anew as we look for partners to protect life at the local, state and federal level.” 

We look forward to partnering with whoever gets the gavel – and to that, we wish all the candidates for Speaker of the House the very best of luck. We will be watching – and we expect great things from you. 

 

To read the full op-ed published by Hawkins at The Hill, click HERE.