Even colleagues have “never” heard of new Jim Jordan challenger as GOP speaker fight grows desperate

Rep. Austin Scott, a relatively unknown Georgia Republican who’s served in Congress since 2011, announced Friday that he would pursue his party’s nomination for House speaker. “We are in Washington to legislate, and I want to lead a House that functions in the best interest of the American people,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Scott is now the only challenger to Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who is making his second bid for the speakership after House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., won the nomination and bowed out of the race a day later earlier this week.

Despite Scott’s decade-long stint in Congress, Insider reports that it appears that a number of people outside of his southern Georgia district, including his own colleagues, are unfamiliar with him. “Never! lol,” one House Democrat told the outlet over text when asked if they’d ever heard of him. “We are busily googling Austin Scott right now…” another Democratic representative texted Axios reporter Andrew Solender. Scott currently serves on the House Intelligence, Armed Services, and Agriculture committees, and one of his most notable actions was voting against an objection to the electoral college results in Pennsylvania and Arizona on Jan. 6, 2021. 

Scott also appears to be running primarily to prevent Jordan, whom he blames for denying Scalise the nomination, from obtaining the nomination himself. He told Punchbowl News Friday that he doesn’t “necessarily want to be the speaker of the House” or think that “anyone can get 217 votes.” The House has been without a speaker for 10 days following the representatives’ vote — sparked by a push from vocal critic and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. — to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. from the role last week.