(DCWatchdog.com) – In what will likely be a critical day for the GOP’s future, the US House of Representatives will vote Tuesday on the Speaker candidacy of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), an ally of former president Donald Trump.
As the House returned to work on Monday, it was still with an interim speaker, after earlier this month, eight conservative Republicans sided with the Democrats to depose the previous speaker, Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
Jordan’s election on Tuesday remains far from secure because, even though he won the GOP speakership nomination last Friday, he failed to gather the 217 votes required for the post.
Presently, the Republicans hold a 221-212 majority in the House, with two seats vacant.
Jordan, known for his close association with former President Donald Trump, has hopes of a floor vote on his nomination by Tuesday, according to a report by Fox News.
“The House will vote to choose a new speaker on Tuesday at approximately 12 p.m. ET,” Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), the second-ranking Democrat in the House, confirmed to the news outlet on Sunday.
Speaking to Politico, Jordan expressed confidence in his chances, stating,
“We think we’re going to get 217,” the Republican speaker nominee said.
However, some of his Republican peers remain skeptical, such as Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart from Florida, who voted against Jordan’s nomination.
“I think he’s gonna have a serious problem getting the numbers,” Diaz-Balart said.
Other Republicans, like Reps. Mike Rogers from Alabama and John Rutherford and Carlos Gimenez from Florida initially hinted at their intention to vote against Jordan.
However, Rogers subsequently changed his mind and even endorsed the Ohio Republican.
The Fox report notes that some of Jordan’s backers believe that many of his detractors might change their stance during a public vote, as the previous vote had been conducted privately.
The speaker’s position has remained vacant since Rep. Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, was ousted on October 3.
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) recently withdrew from the race for the speaker’s position, having lost the preliminary vote to Jordan by a count of 113-99.
Rep. Patrick McHenry, a Republican from North Carolina, is filling in as the interim speaker pro tempore.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) tells @NikolenDC he's "picking up colleagues every day" and addressing their concerns as he rallies to become the next House speaker in a vote this week. https://t.co/LC3sYk1naX pic.twitter.com/gfxbJGJ1xl
— CBS News (@CBSNews) October 16, 2023
