Georgia Republican Says He Received Death Threats After Voting Against Jordan

Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) talks to reporters in Washington on Feb. 11, 2020. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) on Thursday said he and his family had received death threats after he opted not to vote for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) for the second time this week.

Mr. Ferguson, whose district includes most of Atlanta’s southern suburbs and portions of Columbus, voted for Mr. Jordan in the first speaker vote on Tuesday. A day later, the Georgia lawmaker was among four House Republicans who turned away from Mr. Jordan in the second vote.

“Shortly after casting that vote, my family and I started receiving death-threats. That is simply unacceptable, unforgivable, and will never be tolerated,” Mr. Ferguson said in a statement released on Oct. 19.

Mr. Ferguson, who voted for House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), was among 22 House Republicans who opted to support someone else in the second round. In the end, Mr. Jordan picked up 199 votes, short of the 217 votes required for winning the speakership.

The Georgia lawmaker explained he reversed his support for Mr. Jordan.

“As the Republican Conference designee, I supported Congressman Jordan on the first ballot. Following the first vote, I had genuine concerns about the threatening tactics and pressure campaigns Jordan and his allies were using to leverage members for their votes,” Mr. Ferguson stated. “I discussed this directly with Jim, and planned to support him on the second ballot.”

“When the pressure campaigns and attacks on fellow members ramped up, it became clear to me that the House Republican Conference does not need a bully as the Speaker,” he added.

As a result, Mr. Ferguson said he decided to vote for Mr. Scalise, whom he called “a principled conservative and unifying leader.”

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) speaks with reporters after a GOP meeting in Washington on Oct. 16, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Threats

Some House Republicans say they’ve received threats for not supporting Mr. Jordan.

Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) said on Wednesday that she received “credible death threats“ and a ”barrage of threatening calls” after voting for Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) in the second round.

“One thing I cannot stomach, or support is a bully,” Ms. Miller-Meeks said in a statement. “I did not stand for bullies before I voted for Chairwoman Granger and when I voted for Speaker designee Jordan, and I will not bend to bullies now.”

She said that proper authorities had been notified and her office was “cooperating fully” with law enforcement.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), who voted for Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in both rounds this week, told ABC News that his wife “has been getting anonymous texts and phone calls to compel her to get me to change my vote.”

In one text message provided to the outlet, one individual messaged Mr. Bacon’s wife saying: “Your husband will not hold any political office ever again. What a disappoint [sic] and failure he is.”

Rep. Nick Lalota (R-N.Y.) shared a screenshot of a text threat he received on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Oct. 18. Mr. LaLota voted for former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) in both votes.

“My vote card belongs to me and the people of NY’s First Congressional District.  I will not succumb to threats,” Mr. LaLota wrote on X.

U.S. Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) questions witnesses in a hearing of the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, in the Cannon House Office Building in Washington on Feb. 28, 2023. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

The threats have not been targeting exclusively House Republicans who do not support Mr. Jordan.

Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.), who voted for Mr. Jordan twice this week, wrote on X that he “was threatened for supporting Jim Jordan” and he had since “reported the threat to the Capitol Police.” The Indiana lawmaker added, “I didn’t blame the Republicans who voted against Jim Jordan.”

On Oct. 18, Mr. Jordan called the reported threats “abhorrent” in a post on X.

“No American should accost another for their beliefs. We condemn all threats against our colleagues and it is imperative that we come together,” Mr. Jordan wrote. “Stop. It’s abhorrent.”

3rd Vote

A third vote for the House’s top job originally scheduled for Oct. 19 was canceled.

On Thursday afternoon, Mr. Jordan told reporters that he was “still running” but wanted to speak with the 22 House Republicans who voted against him in the second round.

Currently, Mr. Jordan is scheduled to hold a press conference at 8 a.m. ET on Oct. 20.

“This is a speech you won’t want to miss from the next Speaker of the House!” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) wrote on X, referring to Mr. Jordan’s upcoming press conference.

Mr. Jordan’s spokesman, Russell Dye, late Thursday confirmed to Reuters that a third speaker vote will be held 10 a.m. ET Friday.