1 year ago
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Opposition to Jim Jordan’s speakership bid is increasing, as the Ohio Republican again failed to get the 217 votes he needs to win the gavel.
After halting voting for nearly a day in hopes of securing more Republican votes, Jordan instead lost two more votes on the second ballot. The House then went into another recess, at Jordan's request, before a possible third vote. The GOP planned to hold a conference meeting Wednesday afternoon.
That brings his total number of Republican detractors to 22. With the list of defectors growing, even after a significant delay, his chances at the gavel are looking virtually nonexistent.
Jordan flipped just two prior opponents — Reps. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) and Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) — but still lost ground. GOP Reps. Vern Buchanan (Fla.), Drew Ferguson (Ga.), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa) and Pete Stauber (Minn.) all flipped against Jordan after previously backing him in the first ballot.
Several other Jordan opponents — Reps. Mike Kelly (Pa.) and John James (Mich.) — flipped their votes to other alternatives.
Jordan strategically picked senior appropriator and Rules Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) to give his nominating speech before the second ballot, but that didn’t win over enough of the lawmakers on the spending committee wary of Jordan’s history of opposing government funding legislation.
With the number of Republicans opposing Jordan growing, he has lost whatever momentum he had picked up between Friday’s GOP conference meeting and Tuesday’s first ballot. More Republicans may see the momentum shift as an opportunity to step away from Jordan.
Some in the GOP conference have indicated they’re not willing to engage in an extended floor fight for Jordan to continue trying to win the gavel. And others are openly floating an alternative: empowering acting Speaker Patrick McHenry to move certain legislation on the floor.
