Jim Jordan, a hardline conservative Republican, has lost support from his fellow Republicans in his bid to become the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. The loss of support followed a third unsuccessful vote on the House floor. As a result, the House will remain unable to respond to President Joe Biden’s $106 billion national-security package and could face a partial government shutdown on November 18. Jordan received 194 votes in the third round of balloting, well short of the majority he needed to become speaker. Republicans will now have to consider other candidates for the position.
Support for Jordan’s candidacy dwindled throughout the week, leading to the revocation of his nomination by fellow Republicans in a closed-door meeting. After the meeting, Jordan expressed disappointment but stated that he would work to support the chosen speaker. The Republicans must now go back to the drawing board and consider alternative candidates. Representatives Kevin McCarthy and Steve Scalise, who were potential candidates, have also been rejected, leaving Representative Tom Emmer and several others in the running. A possible vote may take place on Tuesday after potential candidates present their cases on Monday evening.
The inability to elect a speaker highlights the current display of legislative dysfunction in the House. With a narrow majority of 221-212, Republicans cannot afford many defections on party-line votes. While there was consideration of a backup option to allow the House to address urgent matters, Republicans ultimately decided against it. The next steps in the speaker selection process remain uncertain, but resolving the issue is crucial to effectively respond to President Biden’s requests and prevent a government shutdown.
Overall, Jim Jordan’s bid to become the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives has faltered as his fellow Republicans withdrew their support following a series of unsuccessful votes. The failure to elect a speaker leaves the House unable to address President Biden’s national-security package and potentially facing a government shutdown. The Republicans will now have to reconsider alternative candidates, with Representative Tom Emmer emerging as a potential front-runner. The current display of legislative dysfunction underscored the vulnerability of the Republicans’ narrow majority and the urgent need to resolve the speaker selection process.