House Republicans have selected Rep. Jim Jordan as their new candidate for Speaker of the House. Jordan was nominated in a closed-door House GOP conference, receiving 124 votes, while Rep. Austin Scott received 81 votes. After Jordan’s nomination, a second secret ballot vote was conducted to gauge support for him on the House floor. Fifty-five House Republicans indicated they would vote against Jordan in that vote. Jordan can only afford to lose four Republican votes to secure the speakership. A vote for the Speaker is expected to take place on Tuesday, and Jordan has expressed his desire to wait until House Republicans can huddle together again.
This comes after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster from the position, which created disarray within the House GOP. Majority Leader Steve Scalise, the initial frontrunner, dropped out of the race after facing opposition, paving the way for Jordan and Scott to enter the race. Jordan had been the expected frontrunner in the race, while Scott surprised many by making a last-minute bid.