For the seventh time in the last three days, former House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has failed to receive the votes he needs to become the House Speaker.
Does this open the door for Jefferson Parish's Steve Scalise to become the speaker?
"I certainly think an opportunity exists for Scalise to be the person who steps in," LSU political science professor Robert Hogan told WWL on Thursday.
According to Hogan, Scalise holds qualities that would make him an acceptable option for both mainstream and hardline Republicans.
"Scalise is someone who has a proven track record of conservatism that would appeal to a wide swath of the coalition of Republicans," Hogan said. "Scalise seems to be someone who is close to the middle. He's also someone who's a good negotiator with different groups within the caucus, and that's something that could help in the possibility to win the speakership.
"Scalise, of course, is someone who is well liked among the caucus members," Hogan added.
Still, Hogan admits that Scalise could run into the same problems that have befallen Kevin McCarthy.
"It's unclear, really, what it is that this group wants," Hogan said. "A lot of them want many different things, and I think it's going to be difficult for any candidate to placate them."
