Republican Rep. Jim Jordan faced a setback in his bid for the position of speaker of the House, raising concerns about his chances of succeeding amidst strong opposition and the ongoing dysfunction in the House.
During the initial voting round on Tuesday, the Ohio Republican received a significant number of votes against him, far exceeding what he could afford given the GOP’s narrow majority. In response to the leadership crisis, some Republicans are exploring the idea of empowering North Carolina Representative Patrick McHenry as the interim speaker.
Sources suggest that Republicans may introduce a resolution to grant McHenry more power, potentially leading to a resolution later today.
With no speaker in place, the functioning of the House remains severely hindered, amplifying the risks considering the ongoing conflicts overseas and the imminent possibility of a government shutdown next month.
Despite the setback, Jordan remains committed to his candidacy, arguing that the House requires a permanent Republican speaker and dismissing the notion of empowering McHenry.
However, not all Republicans support the resolution to grant additional power to McHenry, making Democratic support essential for its passage. Consequently, Democrats may leverage their support to secure more favorable conditions from Republicans.
Jim Jordan fell 17 votes short of securing the 217 votes necessary for victory in the first round of voting on Tuesday. The House is scheduled to reconvene for the next round at 11 a.m. ET, but uncertainty looms over the next steps. New York Republican Representative Nicole Malliotakis appeared on Fox News, asserting that anyone claiming to know what lies ahead is being dishonest.
Despite this, Malliotakis remains steadfast in her support for Jordan, anticipating an increase in his popularity. Her view is that Jordan has the potential to unite disparate factions within the party, and failure to do so would represent larger challenges.
However, internal divisions persist within the Republican ranks, with opponents of Jordan emerging from different factions. Following Jordan’s failure to secure the speaker position, The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board criticized the dysfunction among House Republicans, describing the actions of the eight Republicans who displaced Kevin McCarthy as Speaker as foolish.
The Journal questioned their lack of planning and absence of an alternative candidate, likening their mutiny to commandeering a ship without a clear course of action. Urging swift resolution, The Wall Street Journal emphasized the need for a speaker and anticipated further voting rounds today, urging Republicans to unite for the sake of progress.
Russell Dye, spokesperson for Jim Jordan, provided a response to reporters, but the details were not disclosed in the original article. Nonetheless, it is evident that the Republican party faces significant challenges in resolving their leadership crisis and finding a path forward for effective governance.