The race for House Speaker is a wide open question more than two weeks after Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was booted from the role.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, came up a handful of votes short of winning the requisite simple majority in the first ballot on Tuesday and then lost a little ground in a second vote on Wednesday.
The next vote is not expected to happen until at least midday on Thursday. One of the Republicans who opposes his bid, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), told CNN that Jordan would lose a “bigger chunk” in a third ballot.
So far, Jordan has indicated that he plans to remain in the contest. Some of Jordan’s supporters have pledged to back him for as many as 100 rounds or as long as it takes for him to win.
Democrats are united behind their nominee, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), giving him 212 votes in each ballot. Jordan received 200 votes in the first round and 199 in the second one.
Even as Jordan flipped a couple of the initial 20 holdouts for the vote on Wednesday, he lost a few of Republicans who voted for him on Tuesday. The GOP defectors have voted for other people in the GOP and have pushed for a “consensus candidate” that members of the party can rally around.
There has been a sense of urgency to pick a new speaker this month as a government shutdown is possible by mid-November without a spending deal and members want to respond to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Some have floated Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), who is serving as speaker pro tempore, expanded authority to get legislative business done in the short term. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), one of the GOP holdouts, said he has a resolution that is “about continuing the work of the American people while we select a new speaker.”
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Former House Speakers Newt Gingrich (R-GA) and John Boehner (R-OH) voiced support for this idea. And there is reportedly support among the Democrats, though Jeffries has so far signaled that his first objective is to “stop” Jordan and second goal is to reopen the House.
Others have vociferously opposed the idea, particularly among Jordan’s supporters.
“A vote to further empower a temporary Speaker is a vote to keep you broke and Washington broken. I told you – no matter what – I won’t vote for the status quo, and I’m keeping my word,” Rep. Scott Petty (R-PA) said in a post to X.
“Understand. The proposal to empower the Speaker pro tem is not significantly different than electing Speaker Hakeem Jeffries. It is coalition govt between the Dems and the R big spenders,” added Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC). “The Washington swamp strikes back. Don’t let it win.”
After the second ballot on Wednesday, McHenry told reporters that Jordan is “working with the conference to get his votes.” McHenry added that he plans to give Jordan “as long as he needs” to try and muster sufficient numbers.
