Jim Jordan Pauses Speaker Ambitions, Throws Support Behind McHenry While Wooing GOP

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) put his Speaker of the House bid on hold Thursday and backed Representative Patrick T. McHenry (R-NC) for the role of interim speaker.

What Happened: Jordan opted against forcing a third vote for the speaker position on Thursday, confronted by resistance from a segment of mainstream Republican holdouts,  according to The New York Times. 

Jordan is endorsing McHenry as the temporary speaker. As McHenry manages the speaker election process, Jordan aims to gather more backing for his own bid, according to the Times.

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After failing to clinch a majority on Tuesday, Jordan's support among Republicans fell further on Wednesday. He convened a confidential meeting with his Republican colleagues on Thursday morning to discuss his subsequent steps.

This setback for Jordan marks a split within the party, as the mainstream members distance themselves from the ultraconservative wing he leads. 

This internal discord has left the House without a chosen speaker during escalating tensions in the Middle East and Ukraine, all while facing a crucial mid-November deadline to approve a budget and prevent a government shutdown.

Why It Matters: This political wrangling within the Republican majority in the House of Representatives comes in the wake of the ousting of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the first member of Congress to be voted out of this position in U.S. history.

This leadership vacuum has even led to suggestions of former President George W. Bush as a potential successor, proposed by a Democratic Congressman.

The GOP's struggle to endorse its next Speaker and the unprecedented proposal of a former president for the role highlights the significant discord within the party ranks, potentially impacting key legislative decisions during crucial global events and domestic deadlines.

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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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