Jordan's 3rd Time Not A Charm: Why The Trump Ally Can't Drum Up Support Within GOP

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) lost a third bid for Speaker of the House less than 24 hours after putting his ambitions on hold. 

What Happened: Jordan, an ally of former President Donald Trump, had at least 25 GOP members rejecting his third attempt to be speaker.

That means he came up short of the 217 votes needed to be named GOP House Speaker for a third time. 

Other GOP representatives, including Steve Scalise (R-LA), Lee Zeldin (R-NY), Mike Garcia (R-CA) and Patrick T. McHenry (R-NC), each picked up votes. Jordan can only afford to lose four. 

The Ohio Republican lost 20 GOP lawmakers in the first vote and faired even worse in the second round with 22 defections. 

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) continued to win unanimous support among Democrats with 212 votes.

See Also: Nancy Pelosi's Advice To Republicans: Empower Patrick McHenry By Giving Him 'Awesome Power Of Speakership'

Why Jordan Keeps Losing: The GOP side of the House appears to be in turmoil. In one heated exchange, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the first member of Congress to be voted out of this position in U.S. history, reportedly told Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to "sit your a-- down".

Jordan, who earned Trump's praises ahead of his bid for becoming Speaker of the House, is often criticized by both Republicans and Democrats alike. Some of the GOP holdouts have complained about receiving anonymous, threatening text messages and phone calls if they didn't support Jordan.

Other gripes against Jordan include:

• Championed Trump's cause to overturn the 2020 election
• Unwavering support for an abortion ban with no exceptions
• Never sponsored a bill that passed into law
• Alleged cover-up of widespread sexual abuse at Ohio State University

"We need a leader who will defend democracy, not degrade it," Democratic Whip Katherine Clark said in her speech prior to the vote. 

Why It Matters: The GOP's struggle to endorse its next Speaker impacts key legislative decisions, including approval of support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia and providing aid to Israel during the devastating conflict in Gaza. 

This political jockeying within the Republican majority in the House of Representatives came in the wake of McCarthy's ousting. It has even led to suggestions of former President George W. Bush as a potential successor, proposed by a Democratic Congressman.

Now Read: Ken Buck Says Kicked Out Of Colorado Office For Not Backing Jim Jordan: 'Family Members Have Been Approached And Threatened'

Image: Jordan, Jeffries, Shutterstock