Math Is Turning in Favor of Jim Jordan as Speaker

The House has been without a speaker for two weeks, but that could end on Tuesday. The chamber is expected is expected to vote around noon on whether conservative Jim Jordan will get the gavel, reports the Hill. The man he hopes to replace—the ousted Kevin McCarthy—predicted Tuesday morning on the X platform that Jordan will indeed get enough votes. Jordan can afford only four nays from fellow Republicans, and he has been making progress convincing holdouts over the last few days. The New York Times estimates the number of holdouts, generally all moderates, stands at about 10 following closed-door meetings Monday. And getting down to four is not a sure thing, per an assessment at the Hill.

Jordan's critics view the staunch ally of former President Trump as too extreme to ascend to the position of second in line to the presidency, but Jordan has been trying to allay those concerns. "The role of the speaker is to bring all Republicans together. That's what I intend to do," the Ohio congressman wrote to fellow House Republicans in a letter. "We will make sure there are more Republican voices involved in our major decisions beyond the Five Families," he added, referring to the nickname for the factions within the GOP ranks. Whatever happens, don't expect Jordan to win on the first ballot. "I'm hearing three might be the charm," writes Mike Allen at Axios. (More speaker of the House stories.)