On Friday, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) once again failed to secure the votes necessary to become the House speaker, marking the third time that he has been unsuccessful in this endeavor.
Three more GOP members turned against him on the third ballot, and this raised the total number of votes against Jordan to 25.
Earlier, the shortfall increased when he faced a significant loss of votes on Tuesday and Wednesday. Despite Jordan holding a meeting with his opponents on Thursday, no progress was made.
After the failed attempt to win the speakership, Jordan told reporters that he and his supporters will “talk to the conference some more, listen some more, figure out how we can get a speaker.”
By Friday afternoon, the GOP Caucus voted in a secret ballot to withdraw Jordan’s nomination for speaker.
Jordan’s campaign had gained some momentum earlier this week, but it has now dissipated completely after he failed for a third time.
Meanwhile, a few House Republicans have proposed alternative methods for restoring the House’s functioning, including allowing acting Speaker Patrick McHenry (R-North Carolina) to have expanded powers.
In the third ballot, three new Republicans switched their votes from yes to no on Jordan: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania), Marc Molinaro (R-New York) and Thomas Kean (R-New Jersey). All three represent competitive areas where President Joe Biden prevailed in 2020, which means supporting Jordan may be a risky move.
Before the vote, Jordan did not indicate any intention to withdraw and instead declared during a press conference at the Capitol that there was a strong desire for change among the American people.
Having gained favor with the GOP’s conservative faction, Jordan referenced his Ohio heritage and included himself among a lineage of American pioneers such as the Wright brothers. He implored his fellow congresspeople to choose him as speaker despite having little chance of success.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California), the former House speaker, nominated Jordan and described him as a skilled legislator who is willing to compromise, which caused laughter from the Democratic side.
The Democratic party nominated Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) as their leader and criticized Jordan for his refusal to certify the 2020 presidential election results, characterizing him as a danger to democracy.
