Jim Jordan, a far-right congressman and ally of former President Donald Trump, appears to be failing once again in his bid to become the House of Representatives speaker. Despite his rhetoric about “getting to work for the American people” and positioning himself alongside American innovators, Jordan has been rejected by a string of more mainstream Republicans who have warned him that no threats or promises can win their support.
The House of Representatives has been mired in a stalemate since hardliners ousted Kevin McCarthy as speaker at the start of the month, leaving a seat of American democracy severely hobbled. Jordan’s third attempt at the gavel is not expected to end in success, with many centrist rank-and-file Republicans revolting over the hardball tactics being used to win their votes.
According to Republican representative Carlos Gimenez, the holdouts want “nothing” from Jordan and some legislators have even called on him to drop out of the race. Jordan’s own ultra-conservative allies have rejected an extraordinary idea to give the interim speaker pro tempore, Patrick McHenry, more powers for the next several months, citing it as “asinine”.
The uncertainty over next steps has left frustrated Republicans predicting that the House could essentially stay closed for the foreseeable future, perhaps until the mid-November deadline for Congress to approve funding or risk a federal government shutdown. Jordan, meanwhile, insists he will get the vote over the line, but faces deepening opposition within his own party.
Many Republicans view Jordan as too extreme for a central seat of US power, second in line to the presidency. Representative John Rutherford has said that Jordan’s Speakership bid is “not going to happen”. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa, who voted against Jordan on the second ballot, has received “credible death threats” and said that she cannot stomach or support a bully.
Jim Jordan (Via Jim Jordan/Twitter)
The power struggle has left Congress severely hobbled, with many legislative priorities on hold. Veteran legislator Tom Cole says that the solution lies in a Republican-only solution, but it remains unclear whether such a solution exists. Jordan’s failure to win over his colleagues has left many wondering whether he has the temperament to lead the House, and whether his hardline stance will ultimately alienate him from his own party.
As the stalemate continues, Jordan’s response has been to condemn all threats against colleagues, saying that “no American should accost another for their beliefs”. However, his claims of being the victim of threats have done little to win over those who have received actual threats, such as Miller-Meeks, who has vowed to stand against Jordan once again.
The outcome of the Speaker election remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: Jordan’s path to the Speakership is almost certainly collapsing. The prolonged stalemate in the House has left the country in a state of limbo, with many wondering how this impasse will ultimately be resolved. One possibility is that a compromise candidate will emerge, one who can bridge the gap between the hardline conservatives and the more moderate Republicans. Another possibility is that the stalemate will continue, and the House will be unable to function effectively until a new speaker is elected.
In any event, the failure of Jim Jordan’s bid to become speaker has significant implications for the country. Depending on how the stalemate is ultimately resolved, it could either lead to significant gridlock and dysfunction in the House, or it could pave the way for new solutions to the country’s most pressing issues. Either way, the outcome will be closely watched by lawmakers and the American public alike, as they wait to see how this prolonged crisis will ultimately be resolved.
