It’s Bye-Bye-Bye on the Third Try for Jim Jordan: Unfortunately, the third time wasn’t a charm for Rep. Jim Jordan, as he failed to garner enough votes in the House to earn him the speaker’s gavel this week.
As a result, House Republicans voted to drop Rep. Jim Jordan as their nominee for speaker, sending the party back to the drawing board and leaving the House leaderless for at least three more days.
In a closed-door, secret ballot vote, 86 members supported Jordan staying in the race, while 112 voted nay.
“I thought it was important that we all know [and] get an answer to the question if they wanted me to continue in that role,” Jordan said after the meeting. “So we put the question to them. They made a different decision.”
Jim Jordan Holdouts Harassed
There were reports that some of the holdouts against Jordan received threats, saying they experienced angry calls, menacing messages, and even death threats since casting their votes. Jordan condemned the threats, but this kind of behavior does not improve the image of a party already perceived as chaotic at best, nasty at worst.
Fox News anchor Sean Hannity even joined the pressure campaign.
On his show on Monday night, he called those who didn’t support Jordan “sensitive little snowflakes in Congress.”
The Washington Post reported that Hannity, along with one of his producers, also spent last weekend personally calling several holdouts to lobby them on their vote. He also took to social media to encourage his followers to call wavering members and demand they fall into line.
However, he did encourage those contacting their local representative to “be respectful.”
“Don’t be one of these, you know, liberal idiots screaming and yelling and ranting and raving. Explain to them why you think it’s important that the people’s house be open again.”
Who’s Next?
The path is, once again, clear for yet another speaker to emerge in the Republican party. Although Republican representatives are burning through their options after ousting Kevin McCarthy, rejecting Steve Scalise, and now torching Jordan.
With the party hotly divided between those who lean more populist and others who are more “business as usual” or so-called RINO (Republican In Name Only) representatives, it is becoming increasingly unlikely any one candidate will receive the 217 votes necessary for victory with such a narrow Republican controlled majority.
That said, any remaining nominees will have speaker fatigue going for them. At this point, everyone, not just opposing forces, are tired of the three-ring circus that has become the House. At some point Republicans will have to consider any warm body with an R next to their name.
Who are the next victims in the Republican slaughterhouse?
Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer, who serves as majority whip, is making calls to run, according to two sources. According to CNN, McCarthy is backing him for speaker, delivering an early boost for his candidacy. McCarthy did not publicly endorse a candidate when Jordan and Scalise vied for the nomination.
Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma also told CNN on Friday that “yes” he plans to run for speaker and said he’ll work “hard” to get people on his side.
A spokesman for Rep. Jack Bergman of Michigan, also told CNN he will be running for the role.
And Georgia Rep. Austin Scott plans to make a return to the roster as a repeat offender.
Republican members have until noon on Sunday to declare their candidacy and another candidate forum is expected on Monday.
Jennifer Galardi is the politics and culture editor and opinion writer for 19FortyFive.com. She has a Master’s in Public Policy from Pepperdine University and produces and hosts the podcast Connection with conversations that address health, culture, politics, and policy. In a previous life, she wrote for publications in the health, fitness, and nutrition space. In addition, her pieces have been published in the Epoch Times and Pepperdine Policy Review. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
