Republicans refuse to quit Rep. Jim Jordan Trump told fellow Republicans on Thursday that he will back an interim U.S. House speaker in the coming months as he works to drum up support to win the gavel.
Jordan delivered the message during a closed-door meeting at the Capitol, where the Republican majority said an extraordinary plan Gives Speaker Pro Tempore, Rep. Patrick McHenry, the pro tempore, more authority to reopen the House and conduct important business until January.
That’s according to Republicans who attended the closed meeting and insisted on anonymity to discuss the issue.
The House of Representatives convened at noon on Thursday, but now it’s in doubt Jordan would try again in a heartbeat Win votes to become Speaker.Donald Trump’s toughest ally is Can’t win, But he and his far-right allies will not make way for a more viable Republican nominee.
At the same time, there is a growing realization that the House may be endlessly bogged down, unable to serve, and without a leader for the foreseeable future as the Republican majority slips into deeper dysfunction. The impasse has led some Republican lawmakers to decide to delay for a long time.
After McHenry was appointed to the position, he declined attempts to serve on a more permanent basis. Unprecedented ouster of Kevin McCarthy More than two weeks ago.
“I’m not asking for additional powers,” McHenry said entering the morning meeting. “My job is to elect the next speaker. That’s my focus.”
Elevating McHenry to the role of expanded speaker is not as politically straightforward as it may seem. While Democrats proposed this arrangement, Republicans were unwilling to work with Democrats in a bipartisan manner.
Although Republicans hold majority control of the House, they are unlikely to vote to give McHenry more power.The affable North Carolina Republican was well-liked by colleagues and viewed as a highly capable legislator, but far right legislator Some of those who ousted McCarthy didn’t like the idea.
“Stupid,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, leader of the far-right House Freedom Caucus.
“This is a bad precedent and I don’t support it,” said Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., chairman of the Freedom Caucus.
Still, installing a temporary speaker in the coming months has the support of many of Jordan’s opponents and would provide him with an outlet so he doesn’t have to declare defeat.
The next steps were highly uncertain Thursday as angry, frustrated Republicans considered other options. Some predict the House could remain closed, as it has been for nearly the entire month, until a mid-November deadline for Congress to approve appropriations, or risk a shutdown of the federal government.
“I think November 17th is clearly a real date,” said Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., who leads a large conservative caucus. next deadline
it is clear Jordan’s path to becoming House Speaker Almost certainly lost.
Jordan lost a crucial second-round vote on Wednesday, opposed by 22 Republicans, two more than those who lost on the first-round vote the day before. Many view the Ohio congressman as too extreme for a seat at the center of American power and are unhappy with the harassing hard-line tactics used by Jordan’s allies to win votes. One lawmaker said they had received death threats.
“We’re going to continue talking to our members and keep working,” Jordan, a founding member of the far-right Freedom Caucus, said after the vote.
Sixteen days after the sudden resignation of the House of Representatives, the House of Representatives has once again come to an abrupt halt. Kevin McCarthy There is no spokesman – the second most powerful position after the president.
As Republicans, distraught and exhausted by infighting, retreated for private conversations, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside the Capitol to protest Israel and Hamas warIt was a stark reminder of concerns that the House is in trouble as political challenges at home and abroad intensify.
“The way out is Jim Jordan has to withdraw his name,” said Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., who twice voted against him. “He’s going to have to quit.”
back vote wednesdayMcCarthy and other party leaders appeared to temporarily rally around Jordan, giving the combative Judiciary Committee chairman the time he asked for, even though it was doubtful he would win enough votes.
With Republicans holding a 221-212 House majority, Jordan would have to defeat most of his Republican opponents to win. Wednesday’s vote count showed 199 Republicans voted for Jordan and 212 Republicans voted for New York Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, leaving no candidate with a clear majority.
These boycotters join a surprisingly large and politically diverse group. 20 Republicans who rejected Jordan’s nomination the day before.
Jordan’s refusal to concede will only further anger some Republicans who are uneasy about the party’s first-choice choice, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, 24 hours after his failed vote last week. Ney was forced to abandon his bid, in large part because Jordan’s supporters refused to acknowledge it. Give them support.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has been discussing how to run the House Give greater power McHenry or another interim speaker. Before McCarthy, the House had never removed a speaker, and McHenry could use temporary powers created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to ensure continuity of government.
The new concept of elevating the role of the speaker pro tempore is favored by two prominent Republicans: former Republican Speakers Newt Gingrich and John Boehner.
Both men have extensive experience on the subject. Both were forced into early retirement.
“All options to end the Republican civil war are on the table,” Jeffries said Wednesday.
To win over fellow Republicans, Jordan is relying on the backing of Trump, the party’s front-runner to challenge President Joe Biden in the 2024 election, as well as support from groups that are pressuring rank-and-file lawmakers to get out the vote. But they are not enough and, in fact, are counterproductive.
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, voted against Jordan on the second ballot and said she had received “credible death threats and a barrage of threatening phone calls.” “One thing I cannot stand or support is bullying,” she said in a statement. “.
The holdouts are demonstrating their independence and include pragmatists — from veteran lawmakers and committee chairs worried about governing to freshman lawmakers in districts where voters prefer Biden to Trump.
Jordan has been a top Trump ally, especially January 6 Capitol Attack The former president’s supporters are seeking to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden.Days later, Trump awarded Jordan Medal of Freedom.
Jordan was first elected in 2006 and has had few bills to his name since taking office. He also faces questions about his past.A few years ago, Jordan Deny the accusation During his time as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State, former wrestlers accused him of knowing about claims that Ohio State doctors touched them inappropriately. Jordan said he was never aware of any abuse.
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Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Mary Claire Jalonick contributed to this report.
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