Rep. Jim Jordan Fails to Secure Enough Votes for House Speaker

In an unexpected turn of events, Rep. Jim Jordan failed to secure the necessary votes to become the House speaker on the second ballot. With a total of 199 votes, 22 Republicans voted against Jordan, four more than on Tuesday’s first ballot. Despite his disappointing showing, Jordan vowed to remain in the race.

The lower chamber of the House now finds itself without a leader, and the path forward for Republicans remains unclear. Some Republicans, including three former Republican House speakers, expressed their desire to elevate the authority of Rep. Patrick McHenry, the speaker pro tempore. This move would likely require support from Democrats, with some favoring a vote to expand McHenry’s authority to allow for the consideration of a limited legislative agenda.

House Democrats, on the other hand, unanimously voted for their leader, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. They are likely to seek concessions in any agreement to back McHenry. It is still unclear when the next vote will take place, as House Republicans continue to deliberate on their next steps.

During the second round of voting, Jordan faced more defections from Republican members. Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida became the first initial Jordan voter to switch loyalties, casting his vote for fellow Floridian Rep. Byron Donalds. Rep. Drew Ferguson of Georgia, who initially voted for Jordan, followed suit by casting his vote for Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

However, those who opposed Jordan in the first round seem to be continuing to resist his candidacy in the second round as well. It remains to be seen how the votes will continue to shift in the coming rounds.

Amidst the ongoing speaker election, there have been proposals to expand McHenry’s powers as speaker pro tempore. Republicans are debating the details of such a proposal, with one key GOP source suggesting that “all roads lead to McHenry.” Nonetheless, any decision to expand McHenry’s authority will ultimately be up to him as the interim speaker.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker emerita, weighed in on the election, calling Jordan an “insurrectionist” and describing the vote against him as a “triumph.” Pelosi emphasized the importance of democracy and expressed confidence in the process of selecting a House speaker.

As the House Republicans continue to deliberate and consider their options, Jordan remains determined to stay in the race for speaker. He pointed out that Speaker McCarthy also had a similar situation during his candidacy, and he remains hopeful of gaining more support in the upcoming rounds.

Overall, the speaker election has been marked by shifting loyalties and uncertainties. The House will reconvene on Thursday, and it is expected that further discussions and deliberations will take place to determine the next steps in selecting a new House speaker.