After "moderate" Republicans refused to back Congressman Jim Jordan's bid for House Speaker on two rounds of ballots Wednesday, the Judiciary Committee Chairman is slowing down his quest for the gavel. Jordan received 200 votes on the first ballot and 199 on the second. He needs 217 votes to get over the finish line. North Carolina Republican and temporary Speaker Patrick McHenry will remain in his position until January.
"[Jordan] will continue to run and try to shore up votes until January and remains the Speaker designee. He is not dropping out," a source familiar with the situation tells Townhall.
No third vote for Speaker today. Jordan will continue to run as Spkr ro get votes by January. Jordan remains the GOP nominee and will not drop out. Will back plan to make McHenry temporary Speaker. Fox is told there was an escalatory plan to increase no votes on Jordan over time
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 19, 2023
Meanwhile, Democrats are licking their chops at the prospect House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries could assume the position or at the very least, increase Democrat power over the legislative process.
.@RepJayapal saying quiet part out loud. Any deal w/ Dems for Speaker Pro Tem will require concessions to @RepJeffries & put Dems in charge of governing House. This would be disaster & total surrender. Stand & Fight for @Jim_Jordan as long as it takes. https://t.co/Zp3fnHIbDw pic.twitter.com/Vu3x42wIv9
— Mark Paoletta (@MarkPaoletta) October 19, 2023
Jeffries says he hasn’t talked to McHenry yet: We are inherently reasonable about the path forward. We recognize the reality of this Congress has been that nothing meaningful has occurred unless it's..bipartisan..all we want to do is facilitate a path for that to..continue
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) October 19, 2023