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Steve Scalise speaks to the media after a meeting at Trump Tower on December 12, 2016 in New York City. (Getty)

Congressman SteveScalise has been shot at a Congressional baseball practice near Washington, D.C.

Scalise was subsequently taken to theMedStar Washington Hospital Center, and ina statement, Scalises office said that he is currently undergoing surgery and is in stable condition.

Prior to entering surgery, the Whip was in good spirits and and spoke to his wife by phone, Scalises office said in a statement. He is grateful for the brave actions of U.S. Capitol Police, first responders, and colleagues.

The Alexandria Police Department says that the suspected shooter is in custody.

So who exactly is CongressmanSteve Scalise, the representative who was shot on Wednesday? Heres what you need to know about him.

Steve Scalise speaks to the media on May 17, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Getty)

CongressmanSteve Scalise is a Republican who was elected to represent Louisiana in 2008. Before running for Congress, he had served in the Louisiana state senate for four months and in the Louisiana House of Representatives for 12 years.

Scalise was elected in a special election to replaceBobby Jindal, who had become the governor of Louisiana. In the Republican primary, Scalise defeated a number of opponents includingTim Burns, and in the general election, he defeated DemocratGilda Reed with 75 percent of the vote.

In addition, Scalise serves as the House Majority Whip. He was elected to this position by his Republican colleagues in 2014. The New York Times described this as a rapid rise in Congress.

The turning point for Mr. Scalise, who is from Louisiana, was his come-from-behindwinin 2012 to become chairman of the influential Republican Study Group, edging out a candidate who was handpicked by the committees founders and past chairmen, The New York Times reported. The group, which has 170 members, has played a central role in pushing the Republican caucus to the right on economic and social issues.

As majority whip, Steve Scalises job is to ensure that members of the Republican party vote together on pieces of legislation. In that position, Scalise helped get the American Health Care Act passed in the House of Representatives.

Passing the American Health Care Act was about saving families who are struggling under the weight of a broken law that doesnt work, Scalise said at the time.

Donald Trump shakes hands with Steve Scalise during a meeting with the House Deputy Whip team at the East Room of the White House March 7, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Getty)

During the 2016 election, Congressman Steve Scalise was a supporter of Donald Trump. Unlike some Republicans, Scalise continued to support his partys nominee after the leakedAccess Hollywoodtape on which Trump could be heard bragging about grabbing women by the private parts.

Let me be clear, Donald Trump will do more to rebuild our middle class, get our economy moving again, strengthen our national defense, and appoint Supreme Court Justices who uphold our Constitution rather than rewrite it, Scalisetold The Advocate. Those are the reasons Ive supported Donald Trump for President and that is why I will continue to do so.

Scalise did call on Trump to apologize, which Trump did. However, Scalise said that he would not allow Hillary Clinton to become president.

Electing Hillary Clinton means continuing down the failed path of radical and divisive policies, a weaker military, and rising healthcare costs, or we can elect a president who will work with Congress to create jobs, grow a healthy economy, confront the increasing threats that we face from around the globe, and get America back on the right track, Scalise said.

Steve Scalise was a supporter of President Donald Trumps original travel ban signed in January.

ISIS has said they want to infiltrate a lot of these refugee programs and weve seen them carry that out in Europe, Scalise said. So we want to make sure that people who are coming into the United States arent being infiltrated by terrorist organizations and until that can be done I think this freeze from certain countries, where we cannot vet, makes a lot of sense.

Steve Scalise holds up a Make America Great Again hat during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol November 15, 2016 in Washington, DC. (Getty)

Steve Scalise served on Donald Trumps Second Amendment Coalition.

During the Trump transition, this was a panel of advisors who advised the president-elect on issues related to guns and the Supreme Court. According to The Advocate, Scalises name was added to the list along with 63 others.

Congressman Scalise has been a supporter of the second amendment for years, and he co-sponsored theFirearms Interstate Commerce Reform Act, which had the goal of removing restrictions oninterstate firearms transactions.

According to his website, Scalise also co-sponsored H.R.645, a bill to restore Second Amendment rights in the District of Columbia. He has an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association.

In January 2016, President Barack Obama signed an executive action on guns which included 10 provisions, such as one requiring more gun sellers to be licensed and forcing them to conduct background checks, according to The Washington Post.Scalise felt this was an overreach on Obamas part.

This is an attempt to try to bully and intimidate people from selling guns and from buying guns and goes around the laws that are already on the books, Scalise said on CNN. The President is not even enforcing existing law. Thats where he should focus, but frankly hes trying to change the subject and get away from the fact that he hasnt been able to defeat ISIS.

Scalise also said that these people who would be affected by President Obamas executive order are law-abiding citizens.

Look, these are law-abiding citizens we are talking about, he said. These arent criminals. The President wont even go after people who broke existing federal law. Why doesnt he do that? Why doesnt he focus on his job instead of trying to usurp the role of Congress and trump the constitution and the Second Amendment that is so sacred to our nations founding.

Steve Scalise speaks during a press briefing after a House Republican Conference meeting July 6, 2016 at the headquarters of Republican National Committee in Washington, DC. (Getty)

In 2014, a political blogger discovered that Steve Scalise 12 years earlier had delivered a speech at an event organized by the European-American Unity and Rights Organization, a white nationalist group founded by David Duke.

This revelation caused controversy, but Scalise said that he did not know about the racist nature of the group at the time.

I didnt know who all of these groups were and I detest any kind of hate group, he said. For anyone to suggest that I was involved with a group like that is insulting and ludicrous.

Scalise said that he did not properly vet the event and that he only had one staffer at the time.

I had one person that was working for me, Scalise said. When someone called and asked me to speak, I would go.

The Louisiana congressman also said he regrets speaking at the event.

It was a mistake I regret, and I emphatically oppose the divisive racial and religious views groups like these hold, he said.

Steve Scalise and his wife Jennifer Scalise during a mock swearing-in ceremony on Capitol Hill January 6, 2015 in Washington, DC. (Getty)

Steve Scalise marriedJennifer Ann Scalise in 2005.

According to theTimes Picayune, the wedding took place at theSt. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. After the wedding, the two honeymooned in Europe.According to Politico, Steve and his wife are members of theSt. Agnes Catholic Church.

Steve and Jennifer have two kids, Madison Carol Scalise and Harrison Joseph Scalise. His son is a member of the Boy Scouts of America.

Steve Scalise has been shot at a Congressional baseball game. Since 2005, the Louisiana Congressman has been married to Jennifer Scalise.

Read more from the original source:
Steve Scalise: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know - Heavy.com