not closer, from having the votes to# fill the job of speaker of the House.## The chamber remains frozen and Republicans# deeply divided over who should lead them.

Our Lisa Desjardins Dan spoke to# dozens of members and joins us now.

So, Lisa, your reporting is that# Scalise may have lost support,## lost momentum today.

Tell us about it.

LISA DESJARDINS: This was unusual.# Now it is extraord Somehow, this ship without a captain# has become even more unmoored.

Steve# Scalise spent two-and-a-half-hou s speaking to# House Republicans today.

But when they exited,## Republicans were less sure, many# of them, about his leadership.

Now, as for Scalise, he did speak to# the press and he said he is RE P. STEVE SCALISE (R-LA): We're# continuing to work to narrow the## gap.

And that's going on and we're going to# co members that want to meet as a group individually.

We have been -- if you look at the model where# LI SA DESJARDINS: Now, that idea# of consensus is still eluding him.

And let's talk about some specifics# here.

Scalise ca Republican votes to become speaker without# Democratic help.

These are the people,## 14 of them, who now publicly oppose# him.

And in addition to that, Geoff,## how about this?

I want to replay# sound from the story we ran yesterday.

This is Keith Self of Texas.# Here's what he told me yesterday.

REP. KEITH SELF (R-TX): We need to get# back to work, and I think we took the vote,## and Steve Scalise is our nominee, and I# will vote for Steve Scalise on the floor.

LISA DESJARDINS: After today's meeting,# Geoff, Self said he is no longer going## to support Steve Scalise.

That kind of switch# is a cataclysmic problem for not just but the Republican Party and indeed# the House of Representatives itself.

We're waiting to see if Republicans# meet tonight.

We do not know when## or if they will hold a speaker vote this week.

GEOFF BENNETT: So, Lisa, what apparently# happen the dynamics here.

How is Steve# Scalise losing support so LI SA DESJARDINS: Right.

There he is dealing with myeloma, blood cancer.

But# I don't really think that's a he re.

I want to talk about two things# that have happened in the last day.

First, we know that in that meeting yesterday,# Scalise and his alli change the rules over how the speaker vote# would go.

Now, those who pushed that rule say## that the way he blocked it without even really# giving a chance for real debate reminded them## of the past and the way leadership forced things# through, got their way without consulting members.

That rubbed a lot of members the wrong way.

The# other thing was today, his speech itself in the## conference meeting.

I spoke to members who have# known him a long time, have said, I have been with## him.

I have seen him really to have a starring# role, but today he felt flat, that his actual## voice to the conference was not one of leadership.# He didn't have a plan for what to do next.

And that made a lot of people nervous about what's# going forward.

And I think the other issue here Geoff, honestly, is that some conservative radio# talk show hosts are telling Republican voters to## call members and to say don't vote for Scalise.# And those phones are in fact ringing off the hook,## so much so now there's a talk of a plan C, maybe# not Scalise, maybe not Jordan, maybe someone else.

Usually, I wouldn't report that# because it seems so out of the norm,## but it is at this moment real talk.

GEOFF BENNETT: Well, I was going to ask you that.# I mean, this i If not Steve Scalise, if not Jim Jordan,## then who?

Who else is waiting in the wings?# And wh LISA DESJARDINS: That's right.

I just can't stress enough what a strang names being mentioned like Tom Emmer, who is in# leadership now, very well-liked.

But, in ge it seems what's happening with those who# oppose Steve Scalise, the growing group,## they really want a different kind of leadership,# someone who hasn't been in leadership before.

And I will tell you, I want to play some sound of# folks we talked to today.

You listen to how people## are reacting to this time, how they're handling# it, there are some worried about the stakes.

Ther are some who don't want Scalise.

Essentially,# Republicans are a little bit all over the place.

REP. ANDY OGLES (R-TN): You know,# there's a process.

Like I said,## it's painful and laborious at time quite frankly, with Jim Jordan right# now.

I love Steve Scalise, but, I' m not on the whip team, but I can count# votes, and the votes aren't there for Steve.

REP. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-GA):# Everything's at a gridlock.

It's a waste of time continuing to go# in there behind cl REP.

TROY NEHLS (R-TX): I think it could be## heal we got to put -- we got to put our party and our# country above our own self-interest at times.

REP. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R-TX): The world's# on fire.

Our adversaries are watching## what we do and that, quite frankly, they# li democracy doesn't work.

And we're proving# him right.

And we need to fill the chair.

LISA DESJARDINS: And talking# about the Chinese leader there,## this is just to stress this is no with the Republican Party, though,# of course, that's in bold display.

This is something about U.S. government.# The speaker is the second in U. S. president.

And, really, we don't# know when Republicans are going to be## able to move into having a speaker# for the House of Representatives.

GEOFF BENNETT: Lisa Desjardins, thanks, as# always for that up-to-the-minute reporting.

LISA DESJARDINS: You're welcome.