Jim Jordan, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has announced his bid for Speaker of the US House of Representatives. This news comes amidst political turmoil following Kevin McCarthy’s removal from the post. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has also entered the race, intensifying the competition.
In a letter to his colleagues, Jordan expressed the critical juncture the nation finds itself in and called for unity within the Republican conference to uphold their promises to the American people. Jordan, who has been in Congress since 2006, has a reputation for being part of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, known for its conservative stance.
Although hard-right Republicans nominated Jordan for the speakership earlier this year, he continued to support McCarthy, who ultimately won the position. However, McCarthy’s tenure was short-lived as he was voted out of office on Tuesday night in a historic move. It marked the first time in US history that a House Speaker had been voted out of office in the middle of a term.
The removal of McCarthy came after Republican Representative Matt Gaetz filed a resolution to oust him, criticizing his reliance on Democrats to pass funding legislation. Gaetz and other hardline Republicans believed McCarthy had failed to deliver on legislation for deep spending cuts and border security provisions.
Following McCarthy’s ousting, Republican Representative Patrick T. McHenry from North Carolina has been named interim Speaker of the House. McCarthy has stated that he will not seek the position again, setting the stage for an intense intraparty battle for the speakership.
The race for Speaker of the US House of Representatives remains uncertain, with Jim Jordan and Steve Scalise now vying for the coveted position. Only time will tell who will emerge as the next leader of the House, as Republicans navigate through this period of political turmoil.
