Central Georgia News

U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08) has announced his candidacy for Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, following the withdrawal of Rep. Jim Jordan. Scott's announcement comes one week after his initial bid for the position. According to a press release by Rep. Austin Scott, he stated, "If we are going to be the majority, we need to act like the majority, and that means we have to do the right things the right way. I supported and voted for Rep. Jim Jordan to be the Speaker of the House. Now that he has withdrawn, I am running again to be the Speaker of the House."

Representative Scott's decision to re-enter the race for Speaker of the House reflects the ongoing dynamics within the Republican Party. Atlanta First News reported that Jordan faced a third unsuccessful attempt to secure the speakership, experiencing a decrease in support compared to his earlier bids, with 25 Republican votes cast against him. Consequently, House Republicans chose to withdraw Jordan as their nominee for speaker.

In his initial bid for the position, Representative Scott released a statement on October 3rd following the removal of Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker. He expressed his disapproval of the eight Republicans who supported this move, accusing them of seeking personal gain and benefiting the Democratic Party. He called for Republican leadership to consider accountability measures or risk losing the faith of the broader conference.

Representative Austin Scott represents Georgia's Eighth Congressional District and is currently serving his seventh term. He holds committee assignments on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Armed Services Committee, and the House Agriculture Committee, focusing on national security, agriculture, and rural community issues. He also serves as Vice Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, Chair of the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit, and co-chair of the Congressional Crop Insurance Caucus, concentrating on agricultural policy and rural development.

With Rep. Jim Jordan's withdrawal, the race for Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives continues, with Representative Austin Scott vying for the position.