Marjorie Taylor Greene's Disturbing Reason For Not Backing Steve Scalise As Speaker
Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) may be the favorite to replace Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as House speaker, but he’s not getting much support from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
Why? Because he has cancer.
In August, Scalise was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, and Greene apparently thinks his health is bad enough that, if chosen, he won’t be able to devote his “full efforts into defeating the communist democrats and save America,” she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Greene added that she actually likes Scalise, so much that she wants to “see him defeat cancer more than sacrifice his health in the most difficult position in Congress.”
I just voted for Jim Jordan for Speaker on a private ballot in conference, and I will be voting for Jim Jordan on the House floor.
I like Steve Scalise, and I like him so much that I want to see him defeat cancer more than sacrifice his health in the most difficult position in…— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) October 11, 2023
HuffPost reached out to Scalise’s office for comment on Greene’s post, but no one immediately responded.
According to Business Insider, however, Scalise said in August that despite the diagnosis, he would be “continuing my work as Majority Leader” and planned to “tackle this with the same strength and energy as I have tackled past challenges.”
The outlet also noted Scalise has managed to keep working even after surviving a 2017 assassination attempt.
Many folks on X weren’t impressed by Greene’s post.
I understand not voting scalise, not voting him cause of cancer is wild https://t.co/9p574jAIC2
— Ben McDonald (@Bmac0507) October 11, 2023
You’re literally punishing a guy because he’s got cancer. Seriously. That’s your rationale? https://t.co/xn6VduzU37
— Ellen Carmichael (@ellencarmichael) October 11, 2023
This is some passive-aggressive bullshit right here. God, sorry, but I hate these people https://t.co/MaiyLaZuoD
— Nancy Rice (@DwyerRice) October 11, 2023
After falling out over McCarthy speaker’s race, good to see the Dimmer Twins back on the same page! Extra points to MTG for bringing up her dad’s cancer struggle to use against Scalise! pic.twitter.com/Tgsf5xKYaN
— Robert X George (@RobGeorge) October 11, 2023
From Hallmark’s “I was going to vote for you but then you got cancer” series… https://t.co/Wj1XdO6keW
— Puppy (@liberalpuppy) October 11, 2023
While other Republicans have also decided not to support Scalise, Greene was the only one who cited his cancer as a reason.