As Jordan Speaker Bid Fails Again, Lawmakers Turn to McHenry for Way Out

The House of Representatives failed once again to elect a new speaker today in a 212-199-22 vote that divided Republicans and unified Democrats. GOP Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio, chair of the Judiciary Committee and founding chair of the hard-Right Freedom Caucus, started the day hopeful that his party would unify around his candidacy after yesterday's failed vote that saw 20 GOP defections.

Instead, he lost more support with four Republicans—Representatives Vern Buchanan of Florida, Drew Ferguson of Alabama, Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa, Pete Stauber of Minnesota—defecting. Only Congressman Doug LaMalfa of California and Congresswoman Victoria Spartz of Indiana switched their votes in Jordan's favor. The Ohio Republican also picked up the support of Gus Bilirakis of Florida who was absent for yesterday's vote.

Democrats stood behind their nominee for speaker, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who earned all his party's votes. Jeffries said his caucus would not support Jordan on Friday following the Ohioan's Friday nomination, calling Jordan "chairman of the Chaos Caucus, a defender in a dangerous way, of dysfunction and an extremist extraordinaire."

Taking to the House steps following yesterday's vote, Jeffries said, "My traditional Republican colleagues, it's time to get off the sidelines, break away from the extremists, get in the arena, so we can find a bipartisan path."

"I have respect for [Speaker Pro Tempore] Patrick McHenry," he added. "I think he is respected on our side of the aisle. There are a whole host of other Republicans who are respected on our side of the aisle. Jim Jordan is not one of them."

McHenry, who has represented North Carolina's 10^th Congressional District since 2005, was chosen by McCarthy to fill the speaker vacancy following his ouster. While the pro tempore role is largely ceremonial without the powers of a full speaker, moderates have floated the idea of crossing party lines to provide him with temporary authority while House Republicans work through their differences.

Congressman David Joyce, a centrist Ohio Republican who was one of Tuesday's defectors, appears poised to do just that. Joyce hinted at his interest in a Tuesday night tweet that advocated for empowering McHenry. Punchbowl News reported Wednesday morning that Joyce intends to make the move in the wake of Jordan's second failed vote.

The Republican defectors, like Joyce, who are considered some of the party's most moderate and results-oriented members, have framed their decision to withhold support for Jordan as one of principle. These individuals include:

Representatives Don Bacon of Nebraska, Buchanan, Ken Buck of Colorado, Lori Chavez-DeRemer of Oregon, Anthony D'Esposito of New York, Mario Díaz-Balart of Florida, Jake Ellzey of Texas, Ferguson, Andrew Garbarino of New York, Carlos A. Giménez of Florida, Tony Gonzales of Texas, Kay Granger of Texas, John James of Michigan, Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, Jen Kiggans of Virginia, Nick LaLota of New York, Mike Lawler of New York, Miller-Meeks, John Rutherford of Florida, Mike Simpson of Idaho, Stauber, and Steve Womack of Arkansas.

Bacon, the first to vote against Jordan, said he did not want to provide hard-right Republicans a win after that faction ousted McCarthy and refused to back Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who previously bested Jordan for the nomination.

Instead of supporting Jordan, Bacon voted for McCarthy. Jordan opponents also voted for Scalise, Granger, Congressman Byron Donalds of Florida, Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, former New York GOP gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin, Congressman Mike Garcia of California, Public Works Commissioner of Macomb County in Michigan Candice Miller, former Speaker John Boehner, and Congressman Bruce Westerman of Arkansas.

With the House closely divided among 221 Republicans and 212 Democrats, any GOP candidate for speaker cannot lose more than five votes. In January, McCarthy endured 15 rounds of voting before earning the gavel. It remains uncertain at whether Jordan will seek another round of votes, and if he does, at what threshold he would forfeit his bid.

Congress cannot pass legislation to provide support for its embattled allies Israel and Ukraine, each of which face war on their own soil, until a speaker is chosen. While Israel has majority support from both parties, Ukraine has divided Republicans with nearly half showing desire to curb funding. Jordan had stated that funding Ukraine was not one of his top priorities.

Ukraine stands as just one of the host of issues that have seen GOP moderates clash with the hard right. The ousting of McCarthy also ranks among the top of that list of conflicts, with bipartisan actions to temporarily fund the government and pay off the nation's debt also on the list. With tensions still brewing, it appears unlikely at the moment that any Republican can garner the 217 votes needed to become speaker without the help of Democrats.