Ohio Representative Jim Jordan has been nominated the GOP Speaker designee in the House of Representative’s race to appoint a new Speaker of the House.
Jordan secured the GOP nomination on Friday afternoon, garnering 152 votes on a secret ballot. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who ran against Jordan for Speaker of the House, had secured the GOP nomination on Wednesday with a total of 113 votes.
Scalise withdrew from the Speaker race Thursday evening after he appeared unable to secure a 217-vote majority for Speakership.
Fellow House Republicans in support of Jordan are encouraging constituents to reach out to their representatives and express their support for a Jordan Speakership.
“Incredible news: Jim Jordan just won the GOP conference nomination for Speaker of the House!” wrote Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie, an ardent supporter of Jordan, in a post to X. “Please encourage your congressman to vote for Jim Jordan!”
Incredible news: Jim Jordan just won the GOP conference nomination for Speaker of the House!
He received 152 votes on the secret ballot but he will need 217 votes on the floor of the House next week to become Speaker.
Please encourage your congressman to vote for Jim Jordan!
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) October 13, 2023
On Friday, Georgia Representative Austin Scott launched his campaign for Speaker of the House, though appeared to retract his campaign after Jordan won the GOP nomination.
“I highly respect Jim Jordan,” Scott wrote. “He is an asset to the Republican Party and our nominee for Speaker.”
“Our conference has spoken, and now we must unite behind Jordan so we can get Congress back to work,” he wrote.
I highly respect Jim Jordan. He is an asset to the Republican Party and our nominee for Speaker. Our conference has spoken, and now we must unite behind Jordan so we can get Congress back to work.
— Rep. Austin Scott (@AustinScottGA08) October 13, 2023
House Republicans have expressed support for Jordan including fellow Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert also expressed support for the Ohio representative along with Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, who spearheaded the effort to remove former Speaker Kevin McCarthy from the seat last week.
Despite notable support for Jordan, other House Republicans have suggested they may not support the Ohio representative over disagreement with Gaetz’s effort to remove McCarthy.
Fellow Florida Representative John Rutherford told reporters he still supported McCarthy for Speakership on Friday.
“I’m a no on allowing Matt Gaetz and the other seven to win by putting their individual in as Speaker,” he said.
Gaetz responded to Rutherford by claiming a Jordan Speakership could be tanked to “spite” him.
“I hope he gets some feedback from Floridians that this is selfish and bad for the country,” Gaetz wrote.
.@RepRutherfordFL would vote against Speaker-Designate Jim Jordan just to spite me.
I hope he gets some feedback from Floridians that this is selfish and bad for the country.
By contrast, removing McCarthy was both popular and just given his lies and broken promises. https://t.co/7Bdu8j4BwP
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) October 13, 2023
“By contrast, removing McCarthy was both popular and just given his lies and broken promises,” he added.
McCarthy is the first Speaker of the House to be removed from the office in U.S. history.
To secure Speakership, a nominee must receive 217 out of 435 votes from Congress. Republicans currently hold a nine-seat majority over Democrats in Congress.
A vote to select a new Speaker of the House is expected next week.
