Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is reportedly prepared to not make another attempt to become House Speaker. The Ohio Republican did not receive the 217 votes needed for the position after two rounds of balloting and signaled that he would be willing to support Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC) with the gavel until January.
Rep. Dave Joyce (R-PA) supported such an effort. The same representative had voted for Jordan to become speaker on Tuesday.
Joyce said that after “two weeks without a speaker of the House and no clear candidate with 217 votes in the Republican conference, it is time to look at other viable options. By empowering Patrick McHenry as speaker pro tempore we can take care of our ally Israel until a new speaker is elected.”
NEWS — JIM JORDAN will not hold a third ballot for speaker. He will back PATRICK MCHENRY as an interim speaker until JANUARY.
MCCARTHY, MCHENRY, JORDAN, COLE and EMMER met this morning
We reported this this AM in @PunchbowlNews AM.
CONFERENCE STARTING NOW.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 19, 2023
Other members of the House GOP, including Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) and Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) have also signaled their support for such a plan.
Gimenez said that the members needed “to move forward in getting the House back in business.”
The plan was also backed by former Republican House Speakers Newt Gingrich (R-GA) and John Boehner (R-OH).
House Republicans met in caucus on Thursday, reportedly to discuss a possible deal.
Other House Republicans backed the plan to place the conservative McHenry in the position. He had been placed as the potential temporary speaker by McCarthy earlier this year.
McHenry gained the position as temporary speaker since the successful ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) earlier this month. Since the vote that removed McCarthy, Congress has been unable to pass major legislation.
Negotiations within the Republican caucus included a number of major topics, such as spending and foreign aid. However, no candidate has been able to successfully unify the GOP House members.
Prior to Jordan’s bid, House Republicans had nominated Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) for the speakership. However, Scalise withdrew from consideration before a floor vote.
Jordan fell about ten votes short in the first vote for speaker on Tuesday, followed by a larger margin in a second vote on Wednesday.
