President Joe Biden responded with biting sarcasm when questioned about the embattled GOP House Speaker nominee Jim Jordan’s recent failed bids for speakership. As the Republicans gear up for a third round of voting, Jordan faces an uphill battle after falling short of the required votes needed to secure the position for a second time.
In Wednesday’s vote, 22 Republicans turned their backs on Jordan, a disappointing outcome exacerbated by his previous loss when 20 members of his own party defected. Seeking to fill the void left by Kevin McCarthy’s ousting and Congressman Steve Scalise’s withdrawal from the race, Jordan’s support wavered further as key party members switched allegiances.
Returning from his trip to Israel, President Biden, when asked about Jordan’s predicament, feigned sympathy, placing his hand across his heart and quipped, “I ache for him.” He followed it up with a dismissive, “No, zero. None.”
During the vote, Jordan lost the support of influential Republicans, including Reps Vern Buchanan of Florida, Drew Ferguson of Georgia, Marianette Miller Meeks of Iowa, and Pete Stauber of Minnesota. Despite a rallying speech by Rep Tom Cole, highlighting Jordan’s “personal integrity,” the Republicans remained divided.
In contrast, Rep Pete Aguilar, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, nominated House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, emphasizing the urgency of resuming legislative work. Aguilar stated, “The country cannot afford more delays and more chaos. Fifteen days should be enough.”
Meanwhile, some Republicans, led by Rep David Joyce of Ohio, discussed empowering Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry to hasten the House’s functioning. However, the resolution’s success remained uncertain, with Rep Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania expressing uncertainty about its viability.
Reflecting on the ongoing chaos, Rep Carlos Giménez (R-FL) stressed the need to resolve internal differences, indicating support for empowering the speaker pro tempore. On the Democratic side, Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) remained non-committal, emphasizing the need to assess available options.
Despite the setbacks, Jordan remained optimistic, stating, “We got 200 votes. We picked up some today, a couple of them dropped off, but they voted for me before, I think they’ll come back again. So we’ll keep talking to members, keep working on it.”
The Republican party’s internal strife persists, leaving the House in limbo as members grapple with their leadership dilemma. With the third round of voting imminent, the GOP faces a critical juncture that could shape the party’s future direction.
