I don’t know much about House Majority Whip-Elect Steve Scalise. There’s not much information about him at his Wikipedia page. He graduated from LSU with a major in computer programming and a minor in political science. How he got from there to being a member of the Louisiana legislature isn’t discussed.
He was elected to Congress in a May 2008 special election to replace Bobby Jindal, who had won the governor’s race. Since coming to Congress, he hasn’t done too much that is notable. He voted against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and he joined the far-right Republican Study Committee. After the 2012 election, Rep. Scalise became chairman of the Republican Study Committee, which explains how he got the exposure and support he needed to become the third-highest ranking member of the House Republicans after only serving for eight years in office.
In electing him whip, the GOP satisfies both the hyper-conservative wing of the party and the Deep Southern base that was previously shut out of the leadership.
What’s unclear is if Scalise will be able to work well with Republicans from states like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, and California who often chafe at the socially conservative agenda of the party. On the other hand, he should have a better feel for the southern wing of the party than McCarthy ever did, so he may embarrass Boehner less frequently than McCarthy had the habit of doing.
Most Americans hardly notice the House Majority Whip, but it’s a position that can lead places. Remember Tom DeLay?
