House Republicans drop Jim Jordan as their nominee for speaker, stumbling back to square one

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House Republicans have made a significant and rather unexpected move by withdrawing their support for Rep. Jim Jordan as their nominee for the position of House speaker. This decision was reached during a closed-door session following Jordan’s disappointing performance on a third ballot for the speaker’s gavel. The repercussions of this outcome have left Republicans disheartened and mired in internal turmoil, pushing the House closer to a full-blown crisis. With House Republicans lacking a viable plan to unify their fractured majority, select a new speaker, and resume the legislative work that has been at a standstill since Kevin McCarthy’s ousting earlier in the month, the situation is increasingly dire.

After the closed-door meeting, Jordan succinctly remarked that his colleagues had opted for a different direction. The Chairman of the Judiciary Committee emphasized the pressing need for House Republicans to come together and determine who will assume the role of speaker.

The internal discord among Republicans has escalated, with blame being cast among members for the divisions they have sown. As a result, there is considerable uncertainty surrounding the next steps, as a range of Republican lawmakers have started to position themselves as potential speakers. However, it appears that, at present, no candidate can secure a GOP majority, leaving the House without a speaker and unable to function effectively, which is a matter of concern for the U.S. government as a whole.

House Republicans plan to introduce new nominees at a candidate forum scheduled for the following week. Majority Leader Steve Scalise has indicated that they will essentially be starting over on Monday.

In the midst of this political turmoil, Rep. Mark Alford, a freshman from Missouri, expressed his frustration, having sacrificed his career to contribute to the nation’s well-being. However, the impasse in the House has left him and others disillusioned.

Rep. Jordan’s bid for the speakership faltered, losing the support of 25 Republican colleagues in a floor vote, a worse outcome than earlier in the week. This decline in support can be attributed in part to the resistance of more centrist Republicans who have taken issue with both the nominee and the aggressive tactics employed to secure their votes. Some lawmakers have even reported receiving death threats and harassing phone calls.

Despite relying on the backing of former President Donald Trump and various pressure groups to sway rank-and-file lawmakers, Jordan’s candidacy ultimately failed to gain momentum. Friday’s vote yielded 194 votes for Jordan, his lowest tally yet, compared to 210 votes for Jeffries, with two absences on each side. Notably, Jordan did not gain any additional votes despite extensive efforts to win over holdouts.

The holdout Republicans made it clear that they wanted nothing from Jordan, and some lawmakers even called on him to withdraw from the race during a late Thursday meeting. Consequently, the House has remained at an impasse for over two weeks, impeding essential government functions during a time of significant domestic and international challenges.

Given the slim Republican majority in the House, with a 221-212 split, any candidate can afford to lose only a few supporters. Presently, it seems there is no Republican candidate capable of securing the necessary 217 votes to become speaker.

One unconventional proposal was to grant Rep. Patrick McHenry, the interim speaker pro tempore, expanded powers for the next several months to at least reopen the House and conduct critical business. However, this idea faced swift rejection from Jordan’s ultra-conservative allies, who viewed it as a betrayal.

As a result, there is a growing expectation that the House may remain closed until the mid-November deadline for Congress to approve funding, risking a federal government shutdown. The absence of a functioning majority has left the House in an abnormal state, further exacerbating the ongoing political crisis.

In conclusion, Rep. Jim Jordan’s aspirations to become House speaker have faltered, leaving the Republican Party in disarray and the House unable to operate effectively. The future remains uncertain, with new nominees set to emerge, but the path to a resolution remains elusive as internal divisions persist.

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• CNN: House Republicans drop Jim Jordan as their nominee for speaker
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• The Washington Post: House Republicans drop Rep. Jim Jordan as their nominee for speaker
• Reuters: House Republicans drop Rep. Jim Jordan as speaker nominee
• NPR: House Republicans Drop Jim Jordan As Their Speaker Nominee