Hardline conservative Republican Jim Jordan‘s attempt to become the leader of the U.S. House of Representatives was unsuccessful. His fellow Republicans withdrew their support after a third failed vote in the House.
This means that the House will be unable to respond to President Joe Biden’s request for a $106 billion national security package, including military aid for Ukraine and Israel, or prevent a government shutdown until at least next week.
Support for Jordan’s candidacy declined throughout the week. He received 194 votes in the third vote on Friday, down from the 200 votes he received on Tuesday, which was not enough to become the speaker.
Republicans voted 112-86 to remove Jordan’s nomination in a private meeting.
Jordan said, “It was an honor to be their speaker designee,” and he expressed his willingness to support the new speaker.
It’s not clear who the Republicans will choose next.
Representative Kevin McCarthy, who was previously removed as speaker, endorsed Representative Tom Emmer, the third-ranking House Republican. Other lawmakers are also considering running for the position.
Republicans currently have a narrow majority in the House, so they can’t afford many members voting against party lines, as demonstrated by their current legislative gridlock.
Apart from McCarthy and Jordan, Republicans also rejected their second-choice candidate, Steve Scalise, who withdrew his nomination after failing to gather enough support.
Lawmakers plan to hear from candidates on Monday evening, with a possible vote on Tuesday. Some of the candidates include Kevin Hern, who leads a conservative policy group, and Austin Scott, a less well-known lawmaker who briefly ran for the position last week.
Republicans have considered and rejected a backup plan that would have allowed the House to address important matters, such as Biden’s aid package and government funding set to expire on November 17.
This plan would have given more authority to Republican Representative Patrick McHenry, who is temporarily filling the speaker’s role. House Democrats and the White House were open to this idea, but Republicans chose not to pursue it.
Jim Jordan, a close ally of Donald Trump, played a significant role in Trump’s efforts to challenge the 2020 election results. He is known for his uncompromising conservative stance and has been involved in government shutdowns and pushing Speaker John Boehner into retirement.
However, Jordan’s aggressive approach may have worked against him, as some of his Republican opponents were upset about a campaign by his supporters that involved harassment and threats.
Even with this defeat, Jordan’s allies believe this should not be a significant issue, as all members of Congress receive threats. However, 25 Republican lawmakers voted against him in the final vote, more than in the previous round.
Democrats unanimously voted against Jordan in all three floor votes, viewing him as a dangerous extremist. Jordan’s Republican opponents did not celebrate his defeat, but they hope to find a new speaker with the support of the conference.
