Politics /

McCarthy, Other Lawmakers Throw Support Behind Jordan Speakership

TX Sen. Ted Cruz: 'I've Stayed Out Of House Leadership Elections, But This Time I Endorsed Jim Jordan'

Published: October 13, 2023
  |   By Christopher Bertman

Several lawmakers across both chambers of Congress have endorsed Ohio Representative Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House after nearly two weeks of contentious infighting between House Republicans.

Last week, Jordan and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise launched campaigns for Speaker of the House after California Representative Kevin McCarthy became the first Speaker in U.S. history to be removed from the seat.

Scalise secured the GOP nomination for Speaker on Wednesday, though announced he was withdrawing from the race after he appeared unable to secure a 217-vote majority of congress to secure a Speakership.

Former Speaker McCarthy has reportedly endorsed the Ohio representative for Speaker, according to new reports.

Several other lawmakers, including Texas Senator Ted Cruz, have thrown support behind the Ohio Representative in his bid for Speaker of the House.

“For years, I’ve stayed out of House leadership elections, but this time I endorsed Jim Jordan,” Cruz wrote in a Friday X post. “Jim is a good friend and a strong conservative.”

“My philosophy on political endorsements is to support the strongest conservative who can win. That is Jim Jordan,” he said.

Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie, who opposed McCarthy’s ousting, has expressed support for a Jordan Speakership since the Ohio representative launched his campaign last week.

“Steve Scalise resigned from the Speaker’s race today,” Massie wrote in an X post with a picture of a poll he ran asking his followers whether they supported a Scalise or Jordan Speakership. Jordan received 93% of 118,532 respondents’ support for Speaker while Scalise garnered 7%.

“It’s time to elect Jim Jordan as Speaker of the House,” he continued. “America agrees.”

“It’s Jordan time!” wrote Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, who spearheaded the effort to remove McCarthy as Speaker.

Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert also threw support behind the Ohio representative saying, “It’s time to make Jim Jordan the Speaker of the House!”

“Jim Jordan for Speaker!” wrote Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Prior to Scalise’s Thursday withdrawal, Greene announced she would not vote for the House Majority Leader for Speaker of the House.

“Jim Jordan presented a strong plan for us, a detailed plan on how to move forward,” she told one CNN reporter. “We didn’t hear that plan from Steve Scalise, it was more vague answers.”

Greene also noted Scalise’s August cancer diagnosis and said the issue was personal in her decision to not back the House Majority Leader.

“I lost my father in 2021 to cancer,” she said. “Unfortunately, Steve is going through a cancer battle of his own.”

“I like Steve Scalise a lot,” Greene continued. “I like him so much, I would like to see him put his full efforts into defeating that.”

Jordan appears to be the presumptive front runner, though several reports have indicated House Majority Whip Tom Emmer and Oklahoma Representative Kevin Hern may also enter the Speaker race.

On Friday, Georgia Representative Austin Scott launched a bid for House Speaker.

House Republicans reconvened at 1 p.m. EST to resume voting on a new GOP nominee for Speaker. House Democrats have unanimously voted to nominate Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for the office.

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.

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