Rep. Jim Jordan Loses Second Speakership Vote As GOP Opposition Grows

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) lost a second vote for House speaker on Wednesday morning as 22 Republicans voted against him.

This comes after 20 Republicans voted against him in the first vote on Tuesday. 

Jordan’s vote for speaker was held exactly two weeks after Kevin McCarthy was voted out as speaker by the full House.

The number of GOP votes shocked Jordan’s allies as they had previously expressed their goal to keep the holdouts in the single digits. 

A few of the 22 Republicans that voted against Jordan included House Appropriations Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-Texas), Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Florida), Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colorado) and four New York swing state Republicans.

Republicans cast votes for McCarthy, Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R- Louisiana) and former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R- New York), among others. 

Shortly after the second vote, the House recessed as Republicans tried to regroup. 

“We’re making progress. I feel good about it. We’re going to keep going,” Jordan said. “I had great conversations, and great discussions with our colleagues.”

Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-California), an ally of McCarthy who voted for him on the first ballot, voted for Jordan on the second ballot.

“I’m not against him,” stated LaMalfa. “I was for Kevin McCarthy the whole time, and I thought the process has been terrible, what has happened to him and the things that he’s been held up for. So I’m voting for Jim Jordan because he’s a good guy. He’s done good work in committee. And we need to move forward with this place today, and get our work done.”

On the other hand, Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Florida), who previously voted for McCarthy, said he would never support Jordan.

“I’m not going to be part of a coup,” Gimenez said.