Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) fell short in his bid to become the next speaker of the GOP-led House during the initial round of voting on Tuesday.
After a House floor vote that commenced in the early afternoon, the final count revealed that Jordan secured 200 votes, while Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), the Democratic nominee, received 212 votes. Twenty Republicans opted for other candidates within the GOP. A simple majority in the chamber was the requirement for victory.
“An elected speaker has not emerged,” announced Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), who was serving as speaker pro tempore, as he adjourned the House following the confirmation of the tally.
The House might hold another round of voting later on Tuesday or explore alternative options. Following the removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as speaker earlier in the month, there has been a sense of urgency to reach a resolution, given the possibility of a government shutdown by mid-November without a spending deal, coupled with the need to address the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Some have proposed expanding McHenry’s powers temporarily to facilitate legislative business. Others have suggested seeking a consensus candidate with bipartisan support.
Jordan clinched the GOP nomination for speaker in his second attempt on Friday, as the party’s initial nominee, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), withdrew prior to a House floor vote due to opposition from a small group of Republicans.
As voting got underway on Tuesday, House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) formally nominated Jordan on the House floor, while Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) did the same for Jeffries.
Despite Jordan’s efforts over the past few days to persuade several Republican holdouts who were hesitant about his candidacy, including the release of a “Dear Colleague” letter on Monday calling for GOP unity, he was unable to secure enough support from Republicans in the first round of voting. GOP defectors chose other candidates, including Scalise, McCarthy, and former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY).
Notable GOP holdouts in the initial round included House Appropriations Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX), along with Reps. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Don Bacon (R-NE), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Jake Ellzey (R-TX), Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY), Tony Gonzales (R-TX), Mike Kelly (R-PA), Jenn Kiggans (R-VA), Nick LaLota (R-NY), Mike Lawler (R-NY), John Rutherford (R-FL), Mike Simpson (R-ID), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Steve Womack (R-AR), John James (R-MI), Doug LaMalfa (R-CA), Ken Buck (R-CO), and Victoria Spartz (R-IN).
Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), a Jordan supporter, missed the initial vote to attend a funeral. McCarthy and Scalise cast their votes for Jordan. Rep. Austin Scott (R-GA), who challenged Jordan for the GOP nomination in the second round, also supported Jordan.
The House initiated a new round of voting for speaker two weeks after lawmakers voted to oust McCarthy from the role he had held since the beginning of the year. In January, McCarthy had secured the speaker’s gavel in the 15th round of voting after making concessions to a small group of Republicans, which included restoring the ability of a single member to trigger the process leading to a no-confidence vote.
Citing frustrations with McCarthy’s leadership, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) filed a “motion to vacate the chair” after the GOP-controlled House passed a short-term spending bill to avert a government shutdown. Gaetz and seven other Republicans joined with Democrats in a 216-210 vote that removed McCarthy.
Jordan, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, had received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, who is the frontrunner for the GOP in the 2024 presidential contest.