WASHINGTON — A “hodgepodge” of 25 entrenched GOP lawmakers on Friday blocked Rep. Jim Jordan from winning the speaker’s gavel for a third time, raising more doubts about whether the Donald Trump-backed candidate can continue in the race.
Jordan, an Ohio Republican and the Judiciary Committee chairman, received 194 votes, 10 votes short of the number he needed to be elected speaker on the House floor based on attendance. All 210 Democrats rallied behind Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
Jordan received five fewer votes than he did on the second ballot on Wednesday, a sign that things were continuing to trend in the wrong direction for his speaker bid.
Jordan did not manage to win over any of his detractors on Friday, while three of his moderate supporters threw their support to other candidates in the roll call. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers, switched to Speaker Pro Tem Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., while vulnerable Reps. Tom Kean of New Jersey voted for former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Marc Molinaro of New York cast his ballot for former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., a Jordan backer, missed the vote as he traveled to Israel to examine conditions on the ground in their war with Hamas.
Unlike the conservative hardliners who ejected Kevin McCarthy from the speaker’s office on Oct. 3 and scuttled Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s bid to succeed him, the bloc of anti-Jordan Republicans is comprised of a mix of moderates, conservatives, New Yorkers and Floridians, defense hawks and appropriators, including the powerful Appropriations Chair Kay Granger of Texas.
“This is more of a hodgepodge group,” said Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., who backs Jordan.
Following the vote, Rep. Troy Nehls of Texas was seen smoking a cigar and telling reporters that Jordan “does not have the votes.” Nehls, who supported Jordan in the first three votes, said his fourth vote will be for Trump.
Frank Thorp V and Garrett Haake contributed.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
