Jordan Out As Speaker Candidate After 3rd Loss
Update (1402ET): House GOP members have voted by secret ballot to remove Jim Jordan as candidate for speaker, according to Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman, who added that House Republicans are headed home for the weekend and will hold a candidate forum Monday night.
Margin was large, sources tell me.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 20, 2023
According to Politico's Rachael Bade, Jordan lost by a vote of 88-112, meaning more than 3x as many Republicans who voted 'no' in the public vote, voted 'no' in private.
The most popular Republican in Congress was just knifed in an an anonymous vote in a secret closed door meeting in the basement of the Capitol.
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) October 20, 2023
This is the Swamp at work.
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Update (1212ET): Jim Jordan lost his third ballot for speaker after 25 Republicans came out against him.
THIRD BALLOT
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 20, 2023
JORDAN -- 194
JEFFRIES -- 210
MCHENRY -- 6
DONALDS -- 2
EMMER -- 1
ZELDIN -- 4
SCALISE -- 8
GARCIA -- 1
MCCARTHY -- 2
WESTERMAN -- 1
Republicans will now hold a closed meeting at 1PM ET to discuss whether Jordan should remain the party's nominee for speaker, according to Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman.
Stay tuned for more...
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Jim Jordan (R-OH) has apparently called his party's bluff. After losing two votes for speaker (by at least 20 votes), Jordan threatened to take his ball and go home, leaving interim speaker (and Democrat darling) Patrick McHenry (R-NC) in charge until January.
Looks like Jordan's haters hate the idea of 'Speaker McHenry' even more, so Jordan is now holding a 3rd vote, today, right now.
Aaaand he's already got 15 'no's' - so it's another bust. Jordan can lose just 4 Republican votes.
TOM KEAN goes for MCCARTHY
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 20, 2023
NEW VOTE against Jordan
15 against Jordan
The move comes after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) nominated Jordan for the 3rd round - suggesting that fences have been mended between Jordan and his Freedom Caucus supporters, and McCarthy's centrist camp - which can't wait to give more money to Ukraine (and now Israel).
McCarthy called Jordan an "effective legislator," prompting laughter from Democrats. McCarthy then fired back at them, calling them ineffective on border policy and other issues.
Watch: