The House Speaker Follies Continue: Jim Jordan is Out of Moves and Has Been Removed from the Running
And you thought "American Idol" was rigged.
If you have been watching this week as the drama for the House Speakership has unfolded, then you know that Friday morning’s third vote to elect Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan went down in flames. Jordan lost even more votes on this round than he did on Thursday.
Hardline conservative Republican Jim Jordan's quest to become speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives ended on Friday as his fellow Republicans revoked their support following a third, failed vote on the House floor, lawmakers said.
The secret-ballot vote means the chamber will be leaderless and unable to respond to President Joe Biden's request for aid to Ukraine and Israel until next week at the earliest.
Opposition to Jordan's candidacy from within his party grew over the course of the week. Some 25 Republican lawmakers voted against him in a third round of balloting on the House floor on Friday, more than the 22 who had opposed in the second round on Wednesday. Jordan received 194 votes, well short of the 214 he needed to claim the speaker's gavel.
Republicans then voted to revoke Jordan's nomination in a closed-door meeting.
Frankly, I think that was the smartest move they have made all week. You could tell that Jordan’s heart was not in this fight. There’s a fire to him when he is updating on or speaking about the investigations he is spearheading. There was no fire in trying to herd these cats, particularly cats who, like FL Rep. Matt Gaetz, were simply wanting to exact their pound of flesh.
Sadly, Substack and X are still not talking to each other, so suffer these screenshots of some pivotal X posts:
Before Jordan’s candidacy was withdrawn, the Gang of 8 who set this off agreed to be subject to censure and possible suspension if the holdouts would vote for Jim Jordan’s speakership.
One does wonder what brought them to this decision. While CO Rep. Ken Buck agreed to the language of the letter, he made it plain that he did not agree to be a signatory. He would in no way, shape, or form bow to being rebuked, nor would he vote for Jim Jordan as Speaker.
Says everything you need to know about him.
AZ Rep. Andy Biggs posted the letter with the other six members and their signatures.
It was a wasted effort. Behind closed doors (it seems to be the way), the House GOP voted to rescind Jordan’s nomination. I doubt that this mea culpa by The 8 would have made a bit of difference. As I wrote over at RedState, the GOP stalwarts who continually blocked Jordan are long-term members of Congress who sit on powerful committees. Most of them simply want to teach MAGA Republicans, and anyone who backs them, a strong lesson. They also want to protect their power base, so a Kevin-McCarthy-lite like NC Rep. Patrick McHenry, who is acting as interim Speaker, will do just fine for them as a placeholder.
I’m curious to know who was promised what to keep this nonsense going. The play here is obviously to keep McHenry in place as interim, or to get him as Speaker. He looks easily malleable and has lots of swampy, lobbyist ties. What could go wrong?
The bids for candidates for the House Speakership are apparently rolling in. Here’s the short list so far:
OK Rep. Kevin Hern. According to Unusual Whales, per his stock trades, Hern gets great benefit from the war in Ukraine and an ongoing Israel-Hamas War.
GA Rep. Austin Scott, also a big stock trader.
MI Rep. Jack Bergman, who filed a resolution to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib, claims, "I don't want this job, I don't aspire to be in this job... but I will volunteer to step up until properly relieved until we get 217 votes out of this room to elect a Speaker."
MN. Rep. and GOP Majority Whip Tom Emmer. Kevin McCarthy has endorsed his nomination. Emmer is already #3 in the GOP leadership, so you can bet that like Pelosi, McCarthy will maintain his hooks in the process. The more things change…
FL Rep. Byron Donalds. Part of the Freedom Caucus, a staunch Trump supporter, and a better choice than many of the others. Donalds backed Jordan.
LA Rep. Mike Johnson, also a staunch conservative who also backed Jordan.
Interim Speaker McHenry said Republicans had until Sunday afternoon to declare, so more will no doubt be announced as the weekend unfolds. On Monday, the House GOP will hold a Speaker candidate forum in anticipation of a vote on Tuesday.
The follies continue.