(WAND) —  House Republicans have selected Majority Leader Steve Scalise (pictured) as their next Speaker of the House. But he still has a tough road ahead to win the votes needed to secure the job.

Former Congressman Rodney Davis said he believes Scalise is the man to take over the gavel in the House.

“I’ve known Steve before I got elected to Congress and I was on the baseball field with him the morning he was shot, and almost passed away,” Davis explained.

Davis was playing catcher the day Scalise made national headlines, after being seriously injured in a 2018 shooting.

“[Scalise] has been one of the most courageous, yet happy, warriors that I’ve met in my entire life,” Davis told WAND News.

Davis was disappointed to see Kevin McCarthy removed as House Speaker, but said Scalise is the right replacement because he works to build strong relationships with fellow lawmakers.

“I mean this is a guy, in my case, made sure that in the Capitol building in his office — it was always stocked with my favorite beer Busch Light, and I think everyone in the Midwest will be happy to hear that,” Davis said.

He said Scalise also has a track record of fighting for conservative principals while working across the political aisle.

“This is a guy who has built a lot of credibility helping Republicans, helping Democrats, helping shepherd some of the most significant legislation that our nation has seen in decades,” Davis added.

Scalise needs 217 votes to secure the Speaker role. A vote on the House floor likely won’t happen until he has the support he needs to be elected.

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