Scalise, the No. 2 Republican in the US House of Representatives, had won the nomination in a 113-99 vote over Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and co-founder of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.
A win of only 14 votes by Scalise indicated the deep divisions among House Republicans, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Louisiana Republican’s latest decision on Thursday will throw the party into more chaos, as it struggles to find someone who would reach the required simple majority threshold in the chamber to elect a speaker, as Republicans hold a slim 221-212 majority.
–IANS
int/sha
