Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer weighed in on the ongoing House Speaker’s battle — quipping that the longer it takes, the wilder the candidates could be.
“In Washington, we are sitting around having this race for Speaker about who’s more pure,” he said Friday during a New Hampshire GOP summit. “Let me tell you this, Steve Scalise would’ve done a great job as Speaker. Jim Jordan will do a great job as Speaker.”
But, he joked to the crowd, “By Monday, if we don’t get our act together, George Santos will be the nominee, trust me.”
Embattled Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.), who is mired in legal challenges and scrutiny, has faced calls for resignation from members of his own party. Spicer’s joke drew cheers and laughs from the crowd.
His comments come the same day House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) was nominated for the leadership role. Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) withdrew his candidacy a day earlier, after it was clear that he would struggle to garner the 217 votes needed to secure the gavel.
Spicer, who is a NewsNation contributor, urged the House Republicans to put aside their differences and unify behind a candidate.
“At some point, folks, we need to think about this as a team,” Spicer said. “Too much is at stake. The other side doesn’t care.”
The race began last week after Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted following a historic vote to vacate the Speakership. McCarthy on Friday threw his support behind Jordan, whom he called a “great ally.”
“I support Jim Jordan fully, Jim was a great ally to me. He worked hard,” McCarthy said in an interview with host John Catsimatidis on his “Cats and Cosby” radio show. “We came into Congress together.”
“We just get together, work a little longer and we can have a new Speaker in Jim Jordan next week,” he added.