by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News October 17, 2023
Rep. Jim Jordan came up 17 votes short in the first ballot of voting for House speaker on Tuesday.
The Ohio Republican failed to receive the needed 217 votes, which constitutes a simple majority of members voting.
The final vote was 200 for Jordan, 212 for House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, and 20 votes from Republicans for other candidates.
The House is now in recess.
Due to the GOP’s slim House majority, Jordan would lose in each round of voting if more than 3 Republicans and all Democrats oppose him.
Reports leading up to Tuesday’s vote had Jordan gaining momentum and gaining key endorsements, but it still was not enough for some Republicans who chose internal politics over getting back to work for the people who elected them, critics say.
“I felt good walking into the conference. I feel even better now,” Jordan said after the House GOP conference meeting on Monday evening. “We’ve got a few more people we’re going to talk to, listen to, and then we’ll have a vote tomorrow.”
Jordan was able to pick up some high profile endorsements from Republican House members who initially did not support him in the GOP conference’s secret ballot election, including Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Mike McCaul, and Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers.
Jordan still faced opposition from members who opposed the effort to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, such as Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon and Florida Rep. Carlos Gimenez.
Bacon was among the group of Republicans who voted for McCarthy on the floor on Tuesday, even though McCarthy endorsed Jordan.
McCarthy, who continues to maintain he does not want to be nominated again for speaker, told Fox News: “I’m doing everything I can to help him be able to become speaker.”
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