Can Jim Jordan become the next Republican House Speaker?
Allo Trends Morning Breaking News
2023-10-16
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News Article :-
It has been 13 days since the US House of Representatives ousted its Speaker - and there may yet be some distance to go before a replacement is found.
When eight conservative Republicans joined Democrats in the unprecedented vote to remove Kevin McCarthy, it exposed the deep fissures within the Republican party that controls the lower chamber of Congress.
Steve Scalise, Mr McCarthy's long-time deputy, ended a short-lived bid for the gavel last week after failing to win enough support.
Now Jim Jordan - a right-wing rebel turned team player - is running for the job and has said he feels "real good" about clinching the 217 votes he needs to get it.
But a pair of closed-door votes on Friday made clear that he remains far from that number.
The vacuum at the very top of the US government has left the House unable to carry out its most basic functions.
Mr Jordan is highly favoured by many conservative Republicans and counts on former President Donald Trump as a strong ally.
But several moderate lawmakers have expressed reluctance to vote for him.
In his 16 years in Congress, the Ohio lawmaker has often faced criticism for his poor record on passing legislation in the House and was once labelled a "legislative terrorist" by former Speaker John Boehner.
Colleagues have also expressed concern over his past inclinations for bomb-throwing rhetoric and disruptive tactics, as well as his alleged efforts to undermine Mr Scalise's bid for the speakership last week.
Others have argued that Mr Jordan is not adept at fundraising; Speakers are expected to get donors to open their chequebooks for the party.
Behind closed doors on Friday, more than 50 Republicans said they would not back Mr Jordan, but those numbers have come down to 20 or less, the BBC's US partner CBS News reported.
That is still not enough for Mr Jordan to win as he can afford to lose only four votes.
But he and his supporters are expected to press for a vote on the floor on Tuesday, betting those opposed to him will eventually fold so as not to prolong Republicans' internal dysfunction.
1. Another Republican gets 217 votes
Some of the anti-Jordan holdouts are currently working to suggest an alternative candidate who could get more support from the party's centrist wing.
On Friday, it was Austin Scott, a little-known Georgia congressman who announced he was running for Speaker mere hours before Republicans met to cast an internal ballot.
In an embarrassing outcome for Mr Jordan, who is a familiar face in right-wing media, Mr Scott won as many as 81 votes for a bid he conceded was more about providing opposition than about winning the gavel.
After the vote, one Republican told reporters it was a red flag about Mr Jordan's ability to win the gavel and, even if he does become Speaker, function effectively.
"If you can't get your closest friends [to follow you], it begs the question: can you do anything?" Mario Diaz-Balart said. "Can you get
News Article :-
It has been 13 days since the US House of Representatives ousted its Speaker - and there may yet be some distance to go before a replacement is found.
When eight conservative Republicans joined Democrats in the unprecedented vote to remove Kevin McCarthy, it exposed the deep fissures within the Republican party that controls the lower chamber of Congress.
Steve Scalise, Mr McCarthy's long-time deputy, ended a short-lived bid for the gavel last week after failing to win enough support.
Now Jim Jordan - a right-wing rebel turned team player - is running for the job and has said he feels "real good" about clinching the 217 votes he needs to get it.
But a pair of closed-door votes on Friday made clear that he remains far from that number.
The vacuum at the very top of the US government has left the House unable to carry out its most basic functions.
Mr Jordan is highly favoured by many conservative Republicans and counts on former President Donald Trump as a strong ally.
But several moderate lawmakers have expressed reluctance to vote for him.
In his 16 years in Congress, the Ohio lawmaker has often faced criticism for his poor record on passing legislation in the House and was once labelled a "legislative terrorist" by former Speaker John Boehner.
Colleagues have also expressed concern over his past inclinations for bomb-throwing rhetoric and disruptive tactics, as well as his alleged efforts to undermine Mr Scalise's bid for the speakership last week.
Others have argued that Mr Jordan is not adept at fundraising; Speakers are expected to get donors to open their chequebooks for the party.
Behind closed doors on Friday, more than 50 Republicans said they would not back Mr Jordan, but those numbers have come down to 20 or less, the BBC's US partner CBS News reported.
That is still not enough for Mr Jordan to win as he can afford to lose only four votes.
But he and his supporters are expected to press for a vote on the floor on Tuesday, betting those opposed to him will eventually fold so as not to prolong Republicans' internal dysfunction.
1. Another Republican gets 217 votes
Some of the anti-Jordan holdouts are currently working to suggest an alternative candidate who could get more support from the party's centrist wing.
On Friday, it was Austin Scott, a little-known Georgia congressman who announced he was running for Speaker mere hours before Republicans met to cast an internal ballot.
In an embarrassing outcome for Mr Jordan, who is a familiar face in right-wing media, Mr Scott won as many as 81 votes for a bid he conceded was more about providing opposition than about winning the gavel.
After the vote, one Republican told reporters it was a red flag about Mr Jordan's ability to win the gavel and, even if he does become Speaker, function effectively.
"If you can't get your closest friends [to follow you], it begs the question: can you do anything?" Mario Diaz-Balart said. "Can you get
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