Jim Jordan failed to secure House Speaker in the third House Floor vote.
“Rep. Jim Jordan loses in third attempt at Speaker vote, despite meeting individually with dissenters,” investigative reporter Paul Sperry commented.
BREAKING: Rep. Jim Jordan loses in third attempt at Speaker vote, despite meeting individually with dissenters
— Paul Sperry (@paulsperry_) October 20, 2023
USA Today reports:
Jordan lost the third speaker vote, failing to garner enough support behind him and only losing more support among House Republicans.
Like with the second ballot, his detractors only grew in numbers − this time to 25 − making Jordan’s path to the speakership more uncertain.
It is unclear if a fourth vote will be held and whether lawmakers will stay in session through the weekend.
THIRD ROUND — 25 Republicans against Jordan
He continues to lose ground in his bid to be speaker.
Our unofficial count is that he had 194 votes in this round.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 20, 2023
Here’s the list of 25 Republicans who voted against Jordan.
BREAKING: 25 Republicans voted against Jim Jordan for Speaker on the latest ballot:
Bacon
Buchanan
Buck
Chavez-DeRemer
D'Esposito
Diaz-Balart
Ellzey
Ferguson
Fitzpatrick
Garbarino
Gimenez
Gonzales
Granger
James
Kean
Kelly
Kiggans
LaLota
Lawler
Miller-Meeks
Molinaro
Rutherford…— Greg Price (@greg_price11) October 20, 2023
BREAKING: 25 Republicans voted against Jim Jordan for Speaker on the latest ballot:
Bacon
Buchanan
Buck
Chavez-DeRemer
D’Esposito
Diaz-Balart
Ellzey
Ferguson
Fitzpatrick
Garbarino
Gimenez
Gonzales
Granger
James
Kean
Kelly
Kiggans
LaLota
Lawler
Miller-Meeks
Molinaro
Rutherford
Simpson
Stauber
Womack
According to the Daily Caller, some House Republicans voted against Jordan to ‘spite Matt Gaetz.’
Per Daily Caller:
A number of House Republicans believe many of their colleagues who have voted against House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan to be the next Speaker of the House are doing so to spite Florida Republican Matt Gaetz, the Daily Caller has learned.
Gaetz, who forced the motion to vacate the chair vote in early October that successfully removed Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy from office, has continued to face criticism from many House Republicans for going against the status quo and holding McCarthy’s feet to the fire.
Many Republicans who are voting for Jordan and also voted to remove McCarthy as Speaker are saying they believe it could be seen as a win for Gaetz if someone such as Jordan was elected Speaker, instead of a more moderate candidate such as House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who dropped out of the race to support Jordan.
“I have been told by a good number of people that their objection isn’t personal to Jim, it is that voting in Jordan is perceived to be rewarding Matt Gaetz and the rest of the eight. Others have indicated that some of Jim’s supporters wouldn’t support Scalise and so the holdouts won’t support Jordan,” Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs told the Caller.
It appears Matt Gaetz had a proposal for anyone voting against Jordan to spite him or the ‘crazy eight’ members who ousted former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
“All 8 Republicans Who Voted to Remove McCarthy From Speakership Are Willing to Accept ‘Censure, Suspension, or Removal From the Conference’ In Order to Elect Jim Jordan as Speaker,” Gaetz wrote.
“If the holdouts who refuse to vote for Speaker-Designate Jim Jordan would be willing to ‘vote with the team’ and elect him the 56th House Speaker, we are prepared to accept censure, suspension, or removal from the Conference to accomplish this objective.” he added.
BREAKING: All 8 Republicans Who Voted to Remove McCarthy From Speakership Are Willing to Accept “Censure, Suspension, or Removal From the Conference” In Order to Elect @Jim_Jordan as Speaker
“If the holdouts who refuse to vote for Speaker-Designate Jim Jordan would be willing to… pic.twitter.com/FKBKrzgwvc
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) October 20, 2023
WATCH:
🚨BREAKING: Matt Gaetz and the eight who voted to oust McCarthy offer to censure or remove themselves from conference to get holdouts to vote for Jim Jordan as speaker:
"We are willing to accept censure, sanction, suspension, and removal in order to see Jordan as Speaker. If… pic.twitter.com/z2zE6Tz3bb
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 20, 2023
Insider reports:
In a letter to their House Republican colleagues, 7 of the 8 Republicans who voted to oust Kevin McCarthy from the speakership said they’re “prepared to accept censure, suspension, or removal” from the House GOP conference if that’s what it takes to win over some of the holdouts.
“We understand that some in the Conference wish to punish us,” the lawmakers wrote.
Interestingly, one of the names on the letter is Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado, who has also refused to support Jordan due to concerns about his inability to state clearly that the 2020 election was not stolen.
Asked about that by reporters, he disavowed his inclusion in the letter, saying it was a mistake.
The lawmakers’ effort is unlikely to change anything about Jordan’s doomed speakership bid.
Earlier on Friday, 25 Republicans voted against the Ohio Republican, giving him the lowest percentage of votes for the majority party’s nominee for speaker since 1859 — before the Civil War. And he keeps losing support with each successive vote.