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Wednesday 18 OctOber 2023

Republicans reject Rep. Jim Jordan for House speaker on a first ballot

Continued from Front Jordan on subsequent bal-
loting.
Jordan said after the first Jordan can rely on Trump’s
vote that he was not sur- support as well as pressure
prised and expected to do on colleagues from an
better in the next round. But army of grassroots activists
the afternoon dragged on who recognize him from
with no further votes Tues- cable news and fiery per-
day. formances at committee
“We feel confident,” he hearings. Republicans say
said, ducking into a leader- it will become harder for
ship office. “We’ve already rank-and-file lawmakers to
talked to some members oppose him in a public floor
who are going to vote with vote.
us on the second ballot.” Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.,
The tally, with 200 Republi- who engineered McCa-
cans voting for Jordan and rthy’s ouster by a handful of
212 for the Democratic hard-liners — which did not
leader Hakeem Jeffries of include Jordan —publicly
New York, left no candi- praised each lawmaker
date with a clear majority, who has flipped to Jordan’s
as 20 Republicans voted for column — and berated
someone else. With Repub- Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, sits with Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, right, as Republicans finish the those who have not.
first round of voting for him to be the new House speaker, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday,
licans in majority control, Oct. 17, 2023. Behind him from left are former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Rep. Derrick Van Democrats have decried
Jordan must pick up most Orden, R-Wis., and Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo. the far-right shift, calling
of his GOP foes to win. Associated Press Jordan the leader of the
The holdouts are a mix of chaos wing of the GOP.
pragmatists, ranging from cus. He is known more as a trists, voted McCarthy, the Upset that a small band of Jordan has been a top
seasoned legislators and chaos agent than a skilled ousted former speaker. hard-liners have upended Trump ally, particularly dur-
committee chairs worried legislator, raising questions Murmurs rippled through the House by ousting Mc- ing the Jan. 6 Capitol at-
about governing to newer about how he would lead. the chamber. Others voted Carthy, Republicans have tack by the former presi-
lawmakers from districts Congress faces daunting for Majority Leader Steve watched their majority dent’s backers who were
where voters back home challenges, risking a fed- Scalise, who was the par- control of the chamber de- trying to overturn the 2020
prefer President Joe Biden eral shutdown at home if ty’s first nominee to replace scend into public infight- election he lost to Biden.
to Trump. it fails to fund the govern- McCarthy before he, too, ing. All House business has Days later, Trump awarded
But with public pressure ment and fielding Biden’s was rejected by hardliners ground to a halt. Jordan a Medal of Free-
bearing down on law- requests for aid to help last week. One holdout, Republican dom.
makers from Trump’s al- Ukraine and Israel in the Making the official nomi- Rep. Ken Buck of Colora- Now the Republican Party’s
lies including Fox News wars abroad. nating speech was an- do, said Jordan’s role in the front-runner to challenge
Channel’s Sean Hannity, With the House Republican other top Trump ally, GOP runup to the Jan. 6, 2021, Biden in the 2024 election,
it’s unclear how long the majority narrowly held at conference chairwoman attack on the Capitol and Trump backed Jordan to
holdouts can last. Jordan 221-212, Jordan can afford Rep. Elise Stefanik of New his refusal to admit that Bi- replace McCarthy early on
swiftly flipped dozens of de- to lose only a few votes York, who declared Jordan den, a Democrat, won the and was working against
tractors in a matter of days, to reach the 217 majority will be “We the people’s 2020 election remained an the nomination of Scalise,
shoring up Republicans threshold, if there are no speaker.” issue. who withdrew after col-
who have few options left. further absences. On the other side of the “Jim, at some point, if he’s leagues rejected their own
“Jim Jordan will be a great Jordan conferred immedi- aisle, Democratic caucus going to lead this confer- rules and failed to coalesce
speaker,” the former presi- ately afterward with Mc- chairman Rep. Pete Agui- ence during the presiden- around him.
dent said outside the court- Carthy, who fared nearly lar of California nominated tial election cycle and par- Tensions remained high
house in Manhattan, where as badly in January, having Jeffries and warned that ticularly in a presidential among Republicans ex-
he is facing business fraud lost almost as many votes handing the speaker’s election year ... is going to hausted by the internal
charges. “I think he’s go- on the first of what would gavel to a “vocal election have to be strong and say party infighting.
ing to have the votes soon, become a historic 15 bal- denier” would be “a terri- Donald Trump didn’t win Some Republicans resent
if not today, over the next lots for the gavel. ble message” at home and the election and we need being pressured by Jor-
day or two.” As the somber roll call was abroad. to move forward,” Buck dan’s allies and say they
The political climb has underway, each lawmaker Aguilar recited all the times said. are being threatened with
been steep for Jordan, the announcing their choice, Jordan voted against vari- Others softened their op- primary opponents if they
combative Judiciary Com- the holdouts quickly sur- ous measures -- abortion position after Tuesday’s first don’t support him as speak-
mittee chairman and a faced. access, government aid vote saying they they sim- er. Others are simply upset
founding member of the One, Rep. Don Bacon, R- and others, Democrats ply wanted to register their at the way the whole proc-
right-flank Freedom Cau- Neb., a leader of the cen- chanting “He said no!” protest, but would be with ess has dragged out.q