Jordan Attempts to Rally Support Before 3rd Ballot

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) speaks during a press conference at the US Capitol in Washington on Oct. 19, 2023. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Republican speaker designee Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) attempted to kickstart his faltering campaign with a press conference aimed at unifying the fractured GOP conference.

Appearing upbeat and energetic, Mr. Jordan appealed to fellow Republicans to act quickly to elect a speaker, enabling the House to reopen and attend to the critical issues facing the country.

“We need to get to work for the American people,” Mr. Jordan told reporters at 8 a.m. on Oct. 20. “We need to do what we told them we were going to do when they elected us and put us in office. And, frankly, we can’t do that if the house isn’t open. And we can’t we can’t open the house until we get a speaker.”

Matters awaiting congressional action include determining support for Israel and Ukraine, completing the appropriations process, and resuming the oversight work of Congress, Mr. Jordan said.

Contentious Campaign

Mr. Jordan has had difficulty rallying support among 22 holdout Republicans who have refused to back his candidacy.

Some appear to be resistant to electing Mr. Jordan, whom they perceive as a polarizing figure. Others are angry over the treatment of Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), the previous Republican nominee, whose candidacy was blocked by a handful of Jordan supporters.

After failing to win the gavel on two ballots in as many days, Mr. Jordan and others tried to convince fellow Republicans to temporarily empower Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) to conduct House business.

Mr. Jordan said this was an opportunity to “lower the temperature” surrounding the speakership race while allowing the House to reopen.

While many members supported the move, others adamantly opposed it during a tense Republican conference meeting on Oct. 19. No action was taken, effectively killing the proposal.

Afterward, Mr. Jordan affirmed that he was still in the race and still intended to win. He signaled that he would continue attempts to dialogue with resistant members.

Allies of Mr. Jordan continue to pledge their support.

“I’m with Jim Jordan until Jim Jordan says he doesn’t want to go further,” Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) told reporters on Oct. 19.

Asked how he would proceed after a third ballot, Mr. Jordan said, “The plan this weekend is to get a speaker elected to the House of Representatives as soon as possible so we can help the American people.”

Tensions, Holdouts

Tensions within the Republican conference are high after a tumultuous two weeks during which a handful of members ousted their elected speaker, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), and another small group blocked the nomination of Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) by announcing that they would not vote for him on the House floor.

While 200 of 221 Republicans have voted to elect Mr. Jordan on the first ballot, that support eroded slightly on the second ballot, in part due to anger over pressure tactics employed by some Jordan supporters. Holdout members reported receiving a large volume of “hate calls” and even “credible death threats.”

No member has said Mr. Jordan was personally involved in that effort, and he denounced such tactics on social media. Even so, the efforts were perceived as bullying, which hardened opposition among some members.

The election of Mr. McCarthy as speaker in January required 15 ballots cast over four days. Mr. Jordan refused to speculate on the length of time he would allow the election to run. And downplayed the losses incurred on the second ballot.

“Between the first vote and the second vote, you all said we’re gonna lose 10 to 15 votes. It stayed the same. We picked up a few we lost a few,” Mr. Jordan said.

Some votes shifted to Mr. Jordan and some against him on the second ballot, resulting in a net loss of one vote. He recieved 199 votes on the second ballot. He needs 217 for election.

“I think the ones we lost can come back,” he added. “There have been multiple rounds of votes for speaker before ... I just know that we need to get the speaker as soon as possible so we can get to work for the Americans.”

GOP Problem, GOP Solution

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) has said he is willing to form a coalition with Republicans that could result in the election of a moderate Republican as speaker with some expanded power for Democrats. That might include additional seats on the powerful Rules Committee.

At this point, Republicans have not been willing to consider that. Angered that just eight of their number were able to oust Mr. McCarthy by relying on 208 Democratic votes, GOP members appear to be intent on resolving the speakership question on their own.

A number of members have signaled their willingness to continue working through the weekend—or beyond—if necessary to complete the election of a speaker.

“I think we need to just stay. If it takes staying the weekend or staying till Thanksgiving, let’s go. Let’s let’s fight it out,” Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said.

A third ballot is expected later in the day on Oct. 20.