The recent speaker election in the House GOP has revealed divisions among members regarding how to proceed. Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan’s bid has faced three consecutive failures on the floor, leading some Republicans to lose hope in his candidacy. Despite this, there are still those who advocate for continued voting. House Republicans find themselves split on the way forward after the third round of voting failed for Jordan on Friday.
Falling short of the required 214 votes, Jordan faced opposition from 25 Republicans, three more than in the previous round. On the other hand, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries received unanimous support from all Democrats. Some GOP members who initially supported Jordan now appear to be losing confidence, while others insist on persisting with the chairman.
Fallon, one of the representatives who expressed doubt after the third failed vote, shared his skepticism with reporters. He stated that he doesn’t see a viable path forward as the necessary votes seem to be lacking. Representative Virginia Foxx from North Carolina expressed uncertainty about the possibility of additional rounds of voting. Likewise, Representative Thomas Massie from Kentucky, despite having a list of demands, expressed the need for a new speaker.
On the other hand, several House Republicans remain in favor of continuing the voting process for Jordan and show unwavering support for him. Representative Michael Cloud from Texas pledges his support for Jordan, deferring to him regarding the number of rounds he desires.
Texas Representative Jody Arrington declared his continued support for Jordan as long as he remains in the race. However, a number of Republican representatives, including Ken Buck, Don Bacon, Vern Buchanan, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Anthony D’Esposito, Mario Díaz-Balart, Jake Ellzey, Drew Ferguson, Brian Fitzpatrick, Andrew Garbarino, Carlos Giménez, Tony Gonzales, and Kay Granger, voted against Jordan.
Additionally, Thomas Kean, John James, Mike Kelly, Jen Kiggans, Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Marcus Molinaro, John Rutherford, Mike Simpson, Pete Stauber, and Steve Womack also withheld their support. Representative Gimenez shared his expectation that the final speaker would not be Jordan, Scalise, or McCarthy, but he remained confident in voting for the eventual choice.
Following the vote, Representative Don Bacon voiced his opinion that it is time for Jordan to step down, emphasizing the need to move on. While expressing his support for McCarthy, Bacon suggested alternative candidates such as McHenry, Cole, Hern, and Jackson, who he believes would be great choices due to their minimal baggage.
It is worth noting that the letter of support for Jordan following the third failed vote was released by the eight Republicans who previously voted to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. These representatives, including Burchett, Good, Buck, Gaetz, Rosendale, Mace, Biggs, and Crane, expressed their willingness to accept censure, suspension, or removal from the Conference in their fervent support for Jordan.
Before the third round of voting, McCarthy delivered a nominating speech for Jordan, highlighting his effectiveness as a legislator and selflessness, while also underscoring the chairman’s willingness to negotiate and find common ground.
However, Jordan faced previous failures during the first two rounds, with 20 Republicans voting against him on Tuesday and 22 on Wednesday. In his speech prior to Wednesday’s vote, Jordan appealed to the House to elect a speaker promptly, emphasizing the importance of Congress’s work, such as providing aid to Israel and advancing the appropriations process to avoid a government shutdown in November.
Despite initially offering support for acting Speaker Patrick McHenry through January, Jordan decided to proceed with a third round of voting. Representative Gaetz commended McHenry for resisting calls for expanded power, reflecting the sentiment of continuing with the speaker election process. At this time, Jordan has yet to respond to requests for comment regarding these recent developments.