Republicans Withdraw Jim Jordan as Nominee for House Speaker, Resetting the Political Landscape

In a confidential meeting on Friday, Republicans withdrew their endorsement of Rep. Jim Jordan for the role of Speaker of the House after he failed to secure enough votes in a third round of balloting.

The ongoing deadlock in the House exacerbates an already divisive atmosphere among Republicans, who are currently without a viable strategy to unify their fractured majority, elect a new Speaker, and resume Congressional activities. These tasks have been on hold since the removal of Kevin McCarthy from the speakership at the beginning of the month.

Majority Leader Steve Scalise indicated that the party would “begin anew” on the upcoming Monday.

Despite losing the support of 25 Republicans in the Friday vote, Jordan’s next steps remain unclear. Before the vote, he had staunchly refused to withdraw his candidacy, proclaiming during a press conference at the Capitol that “the American people are eager for a transformation.”

Jordan, a figure well-regarded by the conservative activist base within the GOP, evoked his Ohio heritage and historical American innovators, including the Wright brothers, to galvanize support for his bid for the Speaker’s role.

Additional Context

Jordan had been nominated for the role by McCarthy himself, who described Jordan as an “upright, forthright, and dependable legislator.” This led to derisive laughter from Democratic lawmakers.

The Democrats nominated Leader Hakeem Jeffries, with Rep. Katherine Clark criticizing Jordan, who had refused to certify the 2020 presidential election, as “a menace to democracy.”

Despite hours of negotiating to win over undecided Republicans, Jordan’s support eroded rather than solidified. Reports also surfaced about more moderate Republicans facing harassment and even threats for their reluctance to support him.

The vote count on Friday showed Jordan with 194 votes, his lowest yet, and Jeffries with 210, with two abstentions from each party.

The impasse has rendered the House of Representatives largely inoperative for over two weeks, exacerbating both domestic and foreign challenges. With a narrow majority of 221-212, the GOP lacks any candidate capable of winning the 217 votes necessary for the speakership.

After a late Thursday meeting, Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., said Jordan “does not possess the required votes to be Speaker,” underscoring the internal discord within the party.

Some Republicans have been proposing extraordinary measures to break the deadlock, such as temporarily enhancing the powers of the current Speaker pro tempore, Rep. Patrick McHenry. However, these ideas have found little traction among Jordan’s conservative allies.

It remains uncertain how or when the political quagmire will be resolved. Observers foresee the possibility that the House may remain in a state of paralysis until mid-November, when Congress faces the deadline for approving federal funding to avert a government shutdown.

Throughout this period, Jordan has remained steadfast in his decision not to withdraw, despite growing sentiment that he is too extreme for such a crucial role in American governance.

As for the Democrats, Leader Jeffries stated that his party was “prepared, willing, and able” to work with more moderate Republicans to find a resolution, particularly as Congress is being asked to approve President Joe Biden’s aid packages for Israel and Ukraine among other matters.

The internal tensions among Republicans were palpable during a closed-door meeting on Thursday, where factions within the party laid blame on one another for plunging their majority into chaos.

Options for resolving the crisis, such as elevating McHenry to an expanded Speaker’s role, are complicated by Republicans’ reluctance to collaborate with Democrats, and by internal divisions among hard-liners who oppose such a move.

In his campaign for the Speaker’s role, Jordan had relied on endorsements from former President Donald Trump and advocacy groups, although these endorsements seemed to have an adverse effect.

Jordan, who was a staunch Trump ally especially during the January 6 Capitol attack, had received a Medal of Freedom from Trump. Elected in 2006, Jordan has had few legislative accomplishments and faces lingering questions about his past, particularly allegations, which he denies, of failing to address abuse during his tenure as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University.

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