House Judiciary Committee chairman Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) sees the House Speaker’s gavel within reach, as the House GOP conference nominee for the speakership heads to the floor shortly after noon on Tuesday.
Jordan’s ascent to the top of the GOP conference has been a tumultuous ride for House Republicans, and he looks to lock down the requisite support on Tuesday to win the speaker’s gavel and unite the GOP conference again. After McCarthy’s ouster at the hands of 8 House Republicans who worked with all Democrats in the chamber to remove him, House Republicans then rallied behind House GOP Majority Leader Steve Scalise as the conference nominee.
But Scalise’s poor showing in the conference vote–he got 113 votes, but since 3 were non-voting delegates from the territories it was really only 110 votes meaning he got less than a majority of the majority–led to him withdrawing from the speakership election a day later.
Jordan won the GOP conference nomination on Friday last week in a 124-81 vote when running against Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA). Scott has since endorsed him. Later on Friday, when Jordan was the conference nominee, Jordan expanded his support in a 152-55 vote when members were asked if they would support Jordan on the floor. Jordan spent the weekend and Monday flipping holdouts and rallying support but some members who are upset about what happened to McCarthy and Scalise remain holdouts.
Whether Jordan can get them on board for the first ballot, or subsequent ballots, remains to be seen–but the gavel is clearly within reach for him as the House reconvenes on Tuesday.
A big question for the holdouts is whether they want to be purveyors of the chaos they purport to oppose–not voting for Jordan at this stage is a vote for chaos and uncertainty. A vote for Jordan, conversely, is a vote for a return to governing and pursuing the House GOP agenda. Republicans, as such, face a major test on whether they are ready to lead the lower chamber of Congress after weeks of uncertainty.
With full attendance in the House, since there are two vacancies, Jordan would need 217 votes. At least one Jordan-supporting member will not be present at the first vote–Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) is attending a funeral on Tuesday–but will be back later in the day. Since there are 221 House Republicans, when Bilirakis returns that means Jordan can lose only four Republicans in his quest to win.
On the other side of the aisle, meanwhile, Democrats are seeking to cause chaos of their own. Their leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), in a last-ditch bid to stop Jordan from winning floated on Tuesday having Democrats work with Republicans to empower acting Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) with new powers.
That effort could backfire and throw more support to Jordan since it is unlikely any Republicans want to help Jeffries and Democrats gain power, but it is unclear at best how that shakes out.
UPDATE 12:51 p.m. ET:
Aguilar is attacking Jordan over January 6:
PETE AGUILAR, chair of the Dem caucus, calls Jordan an « insurrection insider » in his nominating speech.
Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 17, 2023
Aguilar calls Jordan a « vocal election denier » and « insurrectionist. » Jordan played a key role in the plot to overturn the election. Aguilar was a member of the January 6 committee.
— Eric Michael Garcia (@EricMGarcia) October 17, 2023
UPDATE 12:48 p.m. ET:
Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA), the Democrat conference chair, is introducing House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries as the Democrat candidate for Speaker.
UPDATE 12:46 p.m. ET:
The speakership election is beginning now, and House GOP conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik is introducing Jordan as the GOP candidate.
