(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan’s failure to secure enough votes on his speakership bid has triggered a cross-aisle effort to amplify the role of acting Speaker Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., the chair of the Financial Services Committee.
Spearheaded by a group of Republicans led by Rep. David Joyce, R-Ohio, the move seeks to empower McHenry to steer crucial legislative initiatives through the House floor, Politico reported on Wednesday.
The only way McHenry becomes Speaker is with significant Democrat support and Hakeem Jeffries’ blessing. McHenry is now the official candidate of D.C. Democrats and turncoat Republicans. Any “Republican” who goes along with it needs to be primaried and thrown out of office. https://t.co/trtzwsdJI1
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) October 18, 2023
“It’s just to open the place,” Joyce claimed on Wednesday. “This isn’t trying to do anything other than let us do the business while we continue to have this run for speaker.”
Echoing Joyce’s remarks, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., added, “We need to be able to move things forward. There is a consensus that we need to be able to have a process to move legislation forward.”
Jordan, R-Ohio, himself reportedly expressed potential support for the vote. “I’m all for calling that question,” Jordan said without detailing how he would vote for the measure.
“Let’s get a Republican speaker. I think that’s the best option, but I want to know the answer to the other question,” he added, according to Politico.
Democrats within the Problem Solvers Caucus and the Blue Dog Coalition initially played with the idea in a secret letter to Republicans.
The crux of the Oct. 13 letter revolved around the alleged urgency of securing funding for both Ukraine and Israel.
Mike Lawler, a Republican from a swing NY district, says that Jim Jordan will lose even more votes if he goes to a third ballot. Says it’s time to empower McHenry.
“It’s clear he doesn’t have the votes. .. I think you’ll see more folks dropping off on a third ballot.” pic.twitter.com/xe6LmI5Tyf— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 18, 2023
Confronting the internal strife, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., commented, “It’s time to end the Republican civil war, and in order to do that, all options are on the table.”
The House is expected to hold a third vote for speaker on Thursday. It is not immediately clear, however, whether Jordan, one of the most conservative members of the House, will succeed in gaining 217 votes.
A total of 22 Republicans voted against Jordan on the ballot.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) fails to win the Speakership on the second ballot.
22 Republicans voted for other candidates — up from 20 in the first round. Jordan flipped 2 members while losing 4 new ones. All 212 Democrats again supported Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). pic.twitter.com/xsjdFjagdp
— The Recount (@therecount) October 18, 2023
