WASHINGTON — U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, on Tuesday became the latest high-profile Republican to endorse Donald Trump for president, as the former commander in chief heads into the primaries with a formidable lead in the polls.
With Scalise's announcement, the two top leaders in the House, both from Louisiana, are on record backing the former president’s bid to regain the White House in November. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, endorsed Trump in November, less than a month after Trump said he supported Johnson's bid for the speakership.
Johnson wasn't Trump's first choice for the post: Earlier in October, the ex-president backed Rep. Jim Jordan over Scalise when the two squared off for the gavel. But neither man could muster the 218 votes needed to claim it, and Johnson wound up becoming a compromise choice.
Scalise does not appear to have held a grudge over Trump's decision to back Jordan over him.
“American families and workers deserve a president who will stand up for them and their safety, rescue us from failed Bidenomics, and restore our nation to greatness,” Scalise said Tuesday. “In this race, there is one man who has a proven track record of being able to save our country and get us back on track: Donald Trump. He has done it once before, and I know he will do it again.”
To date, the three other GOP House members from Louisiana — Reps. Garret Graves, of Baton Rouge; Clay Higgins, of Lafayette; and Julia Letlow, of Start — have not made their views known. None of the three responded to queries Tuesday.
While Higgins has not announced an endorsement, he has written on X that he considers Trump “the real president.” He also filed legislation last week that would bar the votes of electors from states that removed a major party candidate. Colorado, Maine and a dozen other states are considering lawsuits that would keep Trump off the presidential election ballot.
Thus far, neither of Louisiana’s senators, both Republicans, have taken a position on the presidential primary candidates either.
"I don't have anything for you on that," Sen. John Kennedy, who voted against affirming Biden’s election to the presidency in January 2021, told CBS News last week when the network asked if he was taking a position. Just 13 of 49 senators have taken a position so far, the network reported.
Sen. Bill Cassidy voted to certify Biden's election, and he also voted to impeach Trump in connection with the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021.
In the House, Graves, Higgins, Johnson and Scalise also objected to the electoral votes for Biden. Letlow had yet to be sworn in at the time.
Scalise’s announcement on Fox News and later on X came less than two weeks before Republicans kick off their presidential primary campaign season. The Iowa caucuses take place Jan. 15, followed with balloting in New Hampshire on Jan. 23.
Trump is the prohibitive favorite among Republican voters in both states. Former South Carolina Gov. and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are the leading alternative Republican candidates, but both lag far behind Trump in the polls.
Trump faces four criminal indictments that include a total of 91 felony charges, as well as two civil court cases where he is a defendant. The trials could begin as soon as March.
