House GOP Abandons Jordan for Speakership

UPDATE Oct 20, 2023 1:17 PM CDT

Jim Jordan didn't just lose another round of voting for the House speakership on Friday—he also lost his status as "speaker nominee" within the GOP conference, reports the Hill. Republicans held a secret ballot Friday afternoon to strip Jordan of the title, which he earned last week by defeating challenger Austin Scott. This week, Jordan lost three consecutive rounds of voting for the speakership in the full House, his count getting worse with each round. So what now? Lawmakers start from scratch on Monday, per the Washington Post.

Oct 20, 2023 11:08 AM CDT

The third time was most definitely not the charm for Jim Jordan on Friday. The Ohio congressman lost another ballot to become speaker of the House, as the hardline conservative and ally of former President Trump remained unable to overcome opposition from more moderate members of his own party. He lost the support of 25 Republicans Friday, even more than on Tuesday (20) and Wednesday (22), reports the Washington Post. He could afford to lose only four. The House has now been without a speaker since Kevin McCarthy's ouster on October 3, and there appears to be no end in sight. In the meantime, House business remains in limbo.

• Inadvertent message: A Reuters photographer captured Jordan leaving a GOP conference meeting on Thursday carrying a paper with writing on it. Among the scribbling, the question, "What is the real reason," could be read.
• Threats: Some of the GOP lawmakers who oppose Jordan say they are receiving death threats. CNN is airing one such voicemail that was left for the wife of an unidentified lawmaker. (Warning: It's pretty rough.) GOP Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa says she has received "credible death threats and a barrage of threatening calls." NBC News notes that Jordan's camp has been criticized for its aggressive tactics with other lawmakers in trying to get him elected as speaker.
• Defiant: Jordan called a press conference early Friday morning, before the vote, to make clear to reporters he was not dropping his bid to become speaker. "The American people are hungry for change," he said, per the AP.

(A plan to empower interim speaker Patrick McHenry fell through on Thursday, with some Republicans arguing it would help Democrats.)