Race For US House Speaker In Chaos As Republican Nominee Drops Out

The Republican nominee to lead the US House of Representatives announced he was dropping out Thursday after failing to find enough support to win the election, plunging the paralyzed lower chamber of Congress deeper into crisis.

Louisiana congressman Steve Scalise narrowly won a secret internal Republican ballot Wednesday to replace ousted speaker Kevin McCarthy.

But it quickly became clear that he couldn't get the 217 lawmakers needed in a vote of the full House as opponents in his own party lined up to announce they would not support him.