Steve Scalise mocked as his speaker dreams are outlasted by a head of lettuce

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Social media commentators didn’t have much faith in Steve Scalise’s aspirations to become the next House speaker, including one user who correctly predicted that a head of lettuce would outlast the Majority Leader’s goals.

“My money’s on the lettuce,” MeidasTouch Network posted on X on Thursday, alongside a picture featuring a framed photo of Mr Scalise next to an example of the salad ingredient adorned with googly eyes.

“Winning. Winner. Won,” one user wrote.

“The undefeated Lettuce wins again,” another joked.

The post was an echo of memes by British newspaper the Daily Star that haunted embattled UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, whose short tenure in the post was compared to the “shelf-life of a lettuce” in The Economist.

Mr Scalise was nominated for the speakership by House Republicans on Wednesday, edging out Trump-backed Ohio Rep Jim Jordan in a vote of 113 to 99.

However, the Louisiana Republican failed to secure enough votes for a deciding vote, prompting him to withdraw from the race. “There are still some people that have their own agendas,” he said as he announced that he was quitting. “And I was very clear we have to have everybody put their agendas on the side and focus on what this country needs this country is counting on us to come back together.”

Subsequently, Mr Jordan jumped back into the race; however, most onlookers believe that he will face the same fate as Mr Scalise if he is nominated.

The House hullabaloo follows the ouster, just over a week ago, of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.