'A bunch of idiots': GOP rep challenging Jordan for speaker rages at colleagues who 'like to go on TV'

Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA), who on Friday announced he will run for speaker of the House of Representatives following Rep. Steve Scalise’s (R-LA) withdrawal from the race, delivered sharp criticism for his Republican colleagues last night, telling CNN’s Manu Raju that the grandstanding from some members of his party “makes us look like a bunch of idiots.”

Scalise on Thursday dropped out of the speaker’s race “after House Republicans failed to coalesce behind him in the aftermath of Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) historic ouster,” CNN reports.

Speaking to Raju, Scott bemoaned the people “that like to go on the TV” in lieu of finding a solution to the party’s infighting.

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“There are people in there that are honorably trying to get to the right place, and then there are people in there, as you know, that like to go on the TV and are not necessarily negotiating for anything other than TV time,” Scott said.

“How does that make you guys look?” Raju asked.

“It makes us look like a bunch of idiots,” Scott replied.

Scott took to X on Friday to make his case for speaker, writing, “We are in Washington to legislate, and I want to lead a House that functions in the best interest of the American people.”

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House Republicans will hear from Scott and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) in a closed door meeting on Friday. McCarthy told ABC News he will vote for Jordan.

But the path for Jordan is murky — even with McCarthy’s support. Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) told ABC News on Friday, “There's not a person in America — and that includes the Republican conference — that is going to get 217 votes.”

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