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| From outside voice to inside player: Rise of Steve Scalise reflects changing House GOP | From outside voice to inside player: Rise of Steve Scalise reflects changing House GOP |
| (36 minutes later) | |
| At the center of the swirling congressional debate over funding the government and arming rebels in Syria stands the new House majority whip, Rep. Steve Scalise, whose rise to power reflects the challenge facing GOP leaders seeking to bring unity to a traditionally rancorous caucus, just weeks before the midterm elections. | At the center of the swirling congressional debate over funding the government and arming rebels in Syria stands the new House majority whip, Rep. Steve Scalise, whose rise to power reflects the challenge facing GOP leaders seeking to bring unity to a traditionally rancorous caucus, just weeks before the midterm elections. |
| Officially on the job for less than two months, the 48-year old Scalise (R-La.), is a tea party conservative learning on the fly as he tries to build support for a short-term spending bill that is likely to include authorization of President Obama’s plans to train and equip moderate Syrian forces to combat the Islamic State. | |
| The sudden turn by Scalise from outside voice to inside player has created an air of unease in the House about whether he can close the deal. Leaders of both parties are sounding confident that they can pass both initiatives by the end of this week, but privately, Republicans are unsure whether they can convince enough conservatives to come along on the spending package, while some Democrats are worried that the doves in their caucus could splinter off because of the military engagement vote. | The sudden turn by Scalise from outside voice to inside player has created an air of unease in the House about whether he can close the deal. Leaders of both parties are sounding confident that they can pass both initiatives by the end of this week, but privately, Republicans are unsure whether they can convince enough conservatives to come along on the spending package, while some Democrats are worried that the doves in their caucus could splinter off because of the military engagement vote. |
| As the GOP’s chief vote counter in the House, Scalise largely bears responsibility for the outcome. | As the GOP’s chief vote counter in the House, Scalise largely bears responsibility for the outcome. |
| As a former chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the caucus of the most conservative GOP members, Scalise is being counted on by Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) to preserve the fragile consensus that exists within the House GOP. | As a former chairman of the Republican Study Committee, the caucus of the most conservative GOP members, Scalise is being counted on by Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) to preserve the fragile consensus that exists within the House GOP. |
| Some of the uncertainty is attributable to the two men just getting acquainted. | Some of the uncertainty is attributable to the two men just getting acquainted. |
| “I’m still getting to know the speaker on a closer level,” Scalise said in an interview Tuesday at the Capitol. | “I’m still getting to know the speaker on a closer level,” Scalise said in an interview Tuesday at the Capitol. |
| One of Scalise’s assets is that he is seen as someone who can sway some of the rabble-rousing skeptics who have long caused Boehner headaches and often disrupted coalitions at the eleventh hour; not so long ago, he was one of them. | One of Scalise’s assets is that he is seen as someone who can sway some of the rabble-rousing skeptics who have long caused Boehner headaches and often disrupted coalitions at the eleventh hour; not so long ago, he was one of them. |
| Scalise joined Boehner’s leadership this summer, after the stunning primary defeat of Eric Cantor, who was House majority leader at the time. Scalise and Boehner faced an immediate test just before the August recess on a border security bill, which they initially refused to bring to the floor, citing a lack of support. | Scalise joined Boehner’s leadership this summer, after the stunning primary defeat of Eric Cantor, who was House majority leader at the time. Scalise and Boehner faced an immediate test just before the August recess on a border security bill, which they initially refused to bring to the floor, citing a lack of support. |
| Those who had intended to vote against the bill were infuriated, forcing Boehner to delay the start of recess and rewrite the legislation. Within two days, meetings with several GOP firebrands yielded two new bills that addressed conservatives’ concerns. Both bills passed. | Those who had intended to vote against the bill were infuriated, forcing Boehner to delay the start of recess and rewrite the legislation. Within two days, meetings with several GOP firebrands yielded two new bills that addressed conservatives’ concerns. Both bills passed. |
| Scalise counts that moment as a victory and one that signals how he will fill his new role in the House. | Scalise counts that moment as a victory and one that signals how he will fill his new role in the House. |
| “I was able to prove to the speaker there that you can bring in some members that maybe weren’t part of that legislative process as much in the past and still produce something very good that unified our conference,” Scalise said. | “I was able to prove to the speaker there that you can bring in some members that maybe weren’t part of that legislative process as much in the past and still produce something very good that unified our conference,” Scalise said. |
| His colleagues have taken notice, and some comfort, in his new position. | His colleagues have taken notice, and some comfort, in his new position. |
| “In the few pieces of legislation we’ve whipped, I think the reason we’ve been able to get to a majority of our majority much quicker is because that listening has been done in advance,” said Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.), one of Scalise’s deputy vote-counters. | “In the few pieces of legislation we’ve whipped, I think the reason we’ve been able to get to a majority of our majority much quicker is because that listening has been done in advance,” said Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.), one of Scalise’s deputy vote-counters. |
| Before Scalise was in leadership, “It seemed that we were told, ‘Here’s what we’re voting on, hold your nose and support us,’ ” said Rep. Cynthia M. Lummis (R-Wyo.). | Before Scalise was in leadership, “It seemed that we were told, ‘Here’s what we’re voting on, hold your nose and support us,’ ” said Rep. Cynthia M. Lummis (R-Wyo.). |
| New Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the former whip who has known Scalise for years, said he has taken on the role of mentor. Soon after Scalise was elected to the whip post, McCarthy instructed his staff to work closely with Scalise’s team to keep tabs on the conference’s political pulse. | New Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the former whip who has known Scalise for years, said he has taken on the role of mentor. Soon after Scalise was elected to the whip post, McCarthy instructed his staff to work closely with Scalise’s team to keep tabs on the conference’s political pulse. |
| “Our offices need to be interlinked,” McCarthy said in an interview Monday. “That is absolutely necessary.” | “Our offices need to be interlinked,” McCarthy said in an interview Monday. “That is absolutely necessary.” |
| On the floor Wednesday, Scalise is expected to face resistance to authorizing new military action from at least 20 Republicans. About the same number of Republicans might oppose the spending bill. | On the floor Wednesday, Scalise is expected to face resistance to authorizing new military action from at least 20 Republicans. About the same number of Republicans might oppose the spending bill. |
| Scalise is sensitive to their concerns, noting that many Republican members were not around in 2002, the last time Congress debated going to war. | Scalise is sensitive to their concerns, noting that many Republican members were not around in 2002, the last time Congress debated going to war. |
| “For many, this is the first real opportunity to give their feelings on how military force should be used,” he said in the interview. Conversations with colleagues reflect a growing desire “to revisit the broader question” of military action in the Middle East, he said. | “For many, this is the first real opportunity to give their feelings on how military force should be used,” he said in the interview. Conversations with colleagues reflect a growing desire “to revisit the broader question” of military action in the Middle East, he said. |
| Among Republicans, Scalise said, there is this question: “If more should be done, should it be authorized by Congress even if the president isn’t asking for it?” | Among Republicans, Scalise said, there is this question: “If more should be done, should it be authorized by Congress even if the president isn’t asking for it?” |
| But “today is not the day to answer that,” he said. “We have to address a number of other things in a very short period of time.” | But “today is not the day to answer that,” he said. “We have to address a number of other things in a very short period of time.” |
| Personal relationships mean everything to Scalise, and they once helped him win the chairmanship of the RSC. Scalise is ideological, but he is not mounting an ideological campaign to transform the party’s policy agenda. He sees himself as a conservative well-versed in conservative policy and politics. He is positioning himself as a leader who understands how a new generation of Republicans thinks. | Personal relationships mean everything to Scalise, and they once helped him win the chairmanship of the RSC. Scalise is ideological, but he is not mounting an ideological campaign to transform the party’s policy agenda. He sees himself as a conservative well-versed in conservative policy and politics. He is positioning himself as a leader who understands how a new generation of Republicans thinks. |
| Months ago, Scalise would happily linger after GOP meetings and casually dish with reporters before walking back to his cramped office in the Rayburn Building, alone. These days, he rushes through the Capitol at the head of a sprawling entourage, followed by advisers and a phalanx of security personnel. | Months ago, Scalise would happily linger after GOP meetings and casually dish with reporters before walking back to his cramped office in the Rayburn Building, alone. These days, he rushes through the Capitol at the head of a sprawling entourage, followed by advisers and a phalanx of security personnel. |
| He has already redesigned parts of his suite in the U.S. Capitol, outfitting a first-floor meeting area into a private lounge for members, stocked with cans of soda and bags of snacks. On Monday night there, he served Italian food from Carmine’s restaurant as colleagues milled about, talking about Syria and ladling tomato sauce — Scalise calls it “gravy” — onto piles of pasta. Several members noted that he frequently serves Cajun meals and enjoys cooking for colleagues as well. | He has already redesigned parts of his suite in the U.S. Capitol, outfitting a first-floor meeting area into a private lounge for members, stocked with cans of soda and bags of snacks. On Monday night there, he served Italian food from Carmine’s restaurant as colleagues milled about, talking about Syria and ladling tomato sauce — Scalise calls it “gravy” — onto piles of pasta. Several members noted that he frequently serves Cajun meals and enjoys cooking for colleagues as well. |
| Scalise’s personal office on the third floor of the Capitol is more of a work in progress. Gone is the glass bowl of M&Ms that Cantor used to put on the center table. Most of Cantor’s furniture remains, and Scalise has yet to do much decorating beyond a “Fox News Sunday” coffee mug and several photos of his wife and young children. | Scalise’s personal office on the third floor of the Capitol is more of a work in progress. Gone is the glass bowl of M&Ms that Cantor used to put on the center table. Most of Cantor’s furniture remains, and Scalise has yet to do much decorating beyond a “Fox News Sunday” coffee mug and several photos of his wife and young children. |
| On the House floor, Scalise’s methods contrast with Boehner’s and McCarthy’s. He is a sitter and an arm-around-the-shoulder operator. When he spots someone he wants to whip, he will sit down, one on one, and lean in close to talk. | On the House floor, Scalise’s methods contrast with Boehner’s and McCarthy’s. He is a sitter and an arm-around-the-shoulder operator. When he spots someone he wants to whip, he will sit down, one on one, and lean in close to talk. |
| “All Louisiana,” is how one House Republican describes the encounters. “It’s a soft touch with this refrain of, ‘I’m like you, I’m conservative, and wish this could be better.’ He understands that a lot of us do not want to have to smile while swallowing whatever Boehner is putting in our spoon.” | “All Louisiana,” is how one House Republican describes the encounters. “It’s a soft touch with this refrain of, ‘I’m like you, I’m conservative, and wish this could be better.’ He understands that a lot of us do not want to have to smile while swallowing whatever Boehner is putting in our spoon.” |