Despite House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan being nominated for the speakership by the GOP conference last week, he failed to secure the needed votes when 20 of his colleagues voted against him Tuesday and then again on Wednesday.
In a second round of voting Wednesday, the Ohio lawmaker was on thin ice even as there were reportedly moves of a motion to be filed that would expand the powers of interim House Speaker Patrick McHenry, R-N.C.
BREAKING: Jim Jordan lost 22 votes on the second ballot for Speaker:
1. BACON — McCarthy
2. BUCHANAN — Donalds
3. BUCK — Emmer
4. CHAVEZ-DEREMER — McCarthy
5. D’ESPOSITO — Zeldin
6. DIAZ-BALART — Scalise
7. ELLZEY — Garcia
8. FERGUSON — Scalise
9. GARBARINO — Zeldin
10. GIMENEZ…— Greg Price (@greg_price11) October 18, 2023
“After two weeks without a Speaker of the House and no clear candidate with 217 votes in the Republican conference, it is time to look at other viable options. By empowering Patrick McHenry as Speaker Pro Tempore, we can take care of our ally Israel until a new Speaker is elected,” Ohio Rep. Dave Joyce said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
This would still need 217 votes to pass and McHenry, meanwhile, doesn’t appear to be interested in the position and has voiced his support for Jordan.
Critics are calling out the “uniparty Republicans” who voted against Jordan on Tuesday and are now working to push through Joyce’s motion.
JUST IN: REP. @JIM_JORDAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED HE’S STAYING IN THE RACE FOR SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.
LET’S GO! pic.twitter.com/HHkH42zKvf
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 18, 2023
Journalist Greg Price slammed “the swamp end game: Expand McHenry’s powers to fund Biden’s agenda, keep the gravy train flowing to Ukraine, and cut conservatives out of the equation entirely.”
He warned that efforts to boost McHenry would not succeed without Democrat support and “wouldn’t be temporary in the slightest.”
The handful of uniparty Republicans that opposed Jim Jordan for Speaker are now trying to formally elect Rep. @PatrickMcHenry Speaker Pro Tempore and give him power to pass legislation “temporarily” until Republicans elect a new Speaker.
They will not be able to do this without…
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) October 18, 2023
In Tuesday’s vote, Democrats unanimously voted for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries while 20 GOP lawmakers voted against Jordan, leaving him 17 votes shy of the 217 needed to secure the gavel.
The 20 Republicans who just voted against Jim Jordan and are paving the way for a Uniparty speaker:
Rep. Bacon
Rep. Buck
Rep. Chavez-Deremer
Rep. D’Esposito
Rep. Diaz-Balart
Rep. Ellzey
Rep. Garbarino
Rep. Gimenez
Rep. Gonzales
Rep. Granger
Rep. James
Rep. Kelly
Rep. Kiggans…— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) October 17, 2023
“Four Republicans who voted for Jordan yesterday voted for someone else today: Reps Buchanan, R-Fla., Ferguson, R-Ga., Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, and Stauber, R-Minn.,” Fox News reported after the voting on Wednesday. “Jordan flipped 1 Republican to his column — Rep LaMalfa, R-Calif.”
The holdout Republicans were criticized for continuing the chaos unleashed after Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted as Speaker several weeks ago.
The American people did not elect a Republican House majority just for our party to surrender their power to Democrats.
Republicans should NOT be making deals with Democrats on a new Speaker.
Jim Jordan is supported by most conservatives and got 200 votes from the caucus…
— Christian Collins (@CollinsforTX) October 18, 2023
When the 20 Republicans held up McCarthy’s speakership back in January, they had actual policy goals they wanted to achieve.
None of the 20 that opposed Jim Jordan have any logical explanation for why they oppose him.
Because it’s not the best idea to say out loud that their…
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) October 18, 2023
Dear Rep. Don Bacon,
I do nothing except express the will of Republican voters who have been silenced & beaten down by the DC machine you defend
Nebraska voters want Speaker Jim Jordan
Laugh at your voters all you’d like sir, but just remember:
“Pride cometh before the fall” https://t.co/B99yG9THza
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) October 18, 2023
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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