The U.S. House of Representatives has rejected Ohio’s Jim Jordan as a candidate for speaker in the first round of voting, prolonging the stalemate that has left the chamber without a speaker for two weeks. Jordan, a co-founder of the far-right Freedom Caucus known for promoting former President Donald Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election, failed to secure the necessary votes amid concerns about his agenda and his contentious history inside and outside of Congress. The chamber is expected to conduct additional votes on Jordan’s bid later in the day.
During the voting, Republican representatives Don Bacon of Nebraska, Ken Buck of Colorado, Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon, Anthony D’Esposito of New York, Mario DÃaz-Balart of Florida, Jake Ellzey of Texas, Andrew Garbarino of New York, Carlos Giménez of Florida, Tony Gonzales of Texas, Kay Granger of Texas, John James of Michigan, Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, Jen Kiggans of Virginia, Nick LaLota of New York, Doug LaMalfa of California, Mike Lawler of New York, John Rutherford of Florida, Mike Simpson of Idaho, Victoria Spartz of Indiana, and Steve Womack of Arkansas, along with all Democrats, voted against Jordan on the first ballot. Florida Rep. Gus Bilirakis was the only Republican who did not vote.
Elise Stefanik, the House Republican Conference Chair, nominated Jordan as a candidate for speaker, describing him as a patriot who would fight against corruption and deliver accountability. On the other hand, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar nominated New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries for speaker, asserting that he was the clear candidate for those seeking a bipartisan approach.
The stalemate in the House comes after the removal of Kevin McCarthy as speaker by a bipartisan group of eight House Republicans and Democrats approximately nine months into his tenure. McCarthy had to undergo 15 separate votes in January before being elected speaker, following closed-door agreements with far-right members of the party. After McCarthy announced he would not attempt to become speaker again, Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Jim Jordan put forth their candidacies. Scalise won the first secret ballot nomination vote within the House Republican Conference but withdrew after just one day without scheduling a floor vote. Jordan initially pledged his support for Scalise on the floor, but some of his followers refused to back Scalise as the party’s nominee for speaker.
Last Friday, House Republicans took a second nomination vote for speaker, with Jordan winning that round. However, a subsequent secret ballot revealed that more than 50 House Republicans stated they would not support Jordan during a floor vote. Though some Republicans expressed public support for Jordan throughout Monday and over the weekend, there were still a number of holdouts going into Tuesday’s floor vote, leaving Jordan short of the approximately 217 votes required to become speaker.
The stalemate in the House is an ongoing reflection of the deep divisions within the Republican Party. With the lack of consensus among House Republicans, Pennsylvania GOP Rep. Mike Kelly introduced a resolution to elect Rep. Patrick McHenry as speaker pro tempore for up to 30 days, which would expand McHenry’s powers beyond his current role as speaker pro tempore by designation. Other Republican representatives expressed concerns about the chaotic situation and the need to empower McHenry until a new speaker is elected or clear consensus is reached within the party.
The rejection of Jim Jordan as a candidate for speaker highlights the ongoing struggle within the Republican Party to find unity and move forward. With the party divided, it remains to be seen when a new speaker will finally be elected, allowing the House to resume its legislative duties. The coming days will be crucial as Republicans continue their discussions and negotiations, seeking a path forward that can bring the party together and put an end to the prolonged stalemate.
