CNN – In a bid to put an end to the leadership vacuum within the GOP, conservative Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio is taking the House floor to vote on whether he will succeed the ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The move comes two weeks after McCarthy’s historic removal and amid deep divisions within the Republican Party.
Jordan has secured crucial support from previously hesitant members as he heads into Tuesday’s vote, aiming to secure the 217 votes necessary to become the next speaker. However, there remains some uncertainty about Jordan’s ability to unite the fractured House Republican Conference, as a few lawmakers still oppose his candidacy.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, Florida Rep. Gus Bilirakis will be absent from the Capitol on Tuesday due to his mother-in-law’s funeral, temporarily altering the vote dynamics. Jordan can now afford to lose only three votes until Bilirakis returns. His absence has introduced an element of uncertainty, as Jordan’s ascent is dependent on a tight margin.
McCarthy’s removal stemmed from the votes of a group of eight GOP rebels who defied party lines, and a similar group of House Republicans could potentially block Jordan’s candidacy.
Nonetheless, Jordan and his supporters have been making headway in recent days, with the Ohio Republican personally reaching out to skeptical lawmakers. His allies outside of Congress have been pressuring the holdouts and threatening them with political repercussions if they support a candidate who has the support of the Trump-aligned GOP base.
“We need to get a speaker tomorrow,” emphasized Jordan, emphasizing the need for the House to get back to work for the American people. Jordan’s allies believe that the number of GOP opponents has dwindled from the 55 who initially voted against him on the floor to a number likely in the teens. Some even suggest that the remaining detractors amount to fewer than 10.
Several key holdouts, including Rep. Ann Wagner of Missouri, have announced their support for Jordan, emphasizing his potential to unite moderates and ultra-conservatives within the party.
Even if Jordan fails to secure the necessary votes on the initial ballot, he can follow a similar strategy as McCarthy did in multiple rounds of voting until his election as Speaker.
The inability to select a speaker has consequences, as it hinders the consideration of vital legislation, including military aid to Israel and government funding. A looming shutdown, just a month away, adds urgency to the situation, thanks to McCarthy’s six-week stopgap spending deal.
However, Jordan has skeptics who may publicly oppose his candidacy, including GOP lawmakers who are still dissatisfied with the previous ousting of McCarthy and the subsequent opposition to House Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s speaker nomination.
The developments suggest that the path to resolving the GOP leadership vacuum remains uncertain, with some members cautious about their votes and party divisions casting a shadow on the process.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/17/politics/jordan-speaker-vote-house-floor/index.html
