In a historic majority vote earlier this month, the House of Representatives ousted its previous leader, Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Now, the House is preparing for a new speaker, with Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio, emerging as the party’s candidate. However, despite Republicans holding the House majority, it remains uncertain if Jordan can secure enough votes on the first ballot.
The decision to choose Jordan as the speaker candidate came after a tumultuous few days, during which Majority Leader Steve Scalise, the initial speaker-designate, faced growing public opposition and was forced to drop out of the race. Jordan made a last appeal to the holdouts against him in a closed-door meeting with House Republicans on Monday night.
To win the speaker’s gavel, Jordan will need a simple majority. However, with the House Republicans’ razor-thin margin and at least one expected absence, he can only afford to lose three GOP votes if all House Democrats are present. As of Monday evening, at least two House Republicans have already expressed their commitment to voting for ex-Speaker McCarthy, who was previously ousted by a vote of eight House Republicans and all House Democrats.
Nevertheless, Jordan has managed to reduce the number of Republicans opposed to voting for him, gaining support from key figures such as House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, who had initially opposed Jordan but decided to back him on Monday morning.
On the other side, Democrats have strongly criticized Jordan, labeling him an “extremist” due to his close ties to former President Donald Trump and his objection to the 2020 election results. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called on moderate Republicans to break off from their conference and join a “bipartisan” coalition, claiming that “the extremists have broken the House of Representatives.”
The speaker election, scheduled for Tuesday at noon, will determine who will lead the House and set the agenda for the coming months. It is a crucial moment for both parties as they vie for control and influence in Congress. The outcome of this vote will have significant implications for the direction of legislation and policy decisions in the United States.
Overall, the selection of Jim Jordan as the Republican candidate for speaker has intensified the political battle within the House of Representatives. With tensions running high and the outcome uncertain, all eyes are on the upcoming vote and its potential impact on the future of American politics.
