Update (1515ET): Earlier Thursday, Jim Jordan said he wouldn’t hold a third ballot for speaker, and would instead let interim speaker Patrick McHenry (R-NC) hold the gavel until January – with Rep. David Joyce (R-OH) drafting legislation to give McHenry the full powers that come with the job.
This rubbed many Republicans the wrong way, as McHenry is backed by Democrats.
“As I have made very clear over the last few days, we should never allow a Democrat-backed coalition government. Ever. The only coalition we should be looking to build is a Republican coalition uniting all of our conference,” said Rep. Tom Emmer.
Steve Scalise, Jordan’s previous opponent for speaker who pulled out, as well as Elise Stefanik (R-NY) arealso opposed to a Dem-friendly speakership going into January.
Let’s add Stefanik as opposed to the temporary speaker backed by democrats.
McCarthy and Jordan on one side.
Emmer, Stefanik and scalise on the other. https://t.co/HlBeTcxfSl
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 19, 2023
And now, Jordan appears to be open to a 3rd vote, and says he wants to talk to the 20 holdouts who blocked his first two attempts.
Jordan: I’m still running for speaker. I plan to go to the floor and get the votes pic.twitter.com/nc4NYccU2J
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 19, 2023
To be continued…
* * *
After suffering defeat twice, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) will not hold a third vote for speaker, and will instead back Patrick McHenry (R-NC) as interim speaker until January.
This, after Jordan met with former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), McHenry, Cole (R-OK), and Emmer (R-MN) to discuss options, Punchbowl News reports.
NEWS — JIM JORDAN will not hold a third ballot for speaker. He will back PATRICK MCHENRY as an interim speaker until JANUARY.
MCCARTHY, MCHENRY, JORDAN, COLE and EMMER met this morning
We reported this this AM in @PunchbowlNews AM.
CONFERENCE STARTING NOW.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 19, 2023
After the first two rounds, a group of Republicans made it clear that Jordan wouldn’t enjoy enough support to win the speaker’s gavel. With House functions at a standstill – including dealing with a looming shutdown after the 6-week band-aid expires mid-November, lawmakers can now move forward with a proposal to expand McHenry’s powers. Punchbowl also notes that there’s “essentially no difference between a speaker and a speaker pro tem.”
“There is a question whether a speaker pro tem would be in the presidential line of succession. There are also questions about whether he could take part in other speaker functions that have evolved over the years — Gang of Eight intelligence briefings, for instance.”
Jordan will remain the speaker designee, and will maintain the option to hold a speaker vote at any time.
According to Bloomberg, senior Democrats are supportive of the plan.
As Axios notes, McHenry, 47, will essentially have the same power as an elected speaker. More:
- McHenry got two ironic endorsements late yesterday: former GOP speakers Newt Gingrich and John Boehner. Both were run out of office — just like Rep. Kevin McCarthy was a few weeks ago.
Driving the news: Rep. Dave Joyce (R-Ohio) plans to introduce a measure on Wednesday that would temporarily empower McHenry to oversee the passage of legislation, Axios’ Andrew Solender reports.
- The plan would be to introduce it if Jordan fails another House floor vote — and it would require McHenry to cooperate by recognizing Joyce on the House floor.
And so, Jordan is off the hook – for now.
