It’s been a rough one on Capitol Hill
On Capitol Hill, it has been a challenging week and a half; After a tumultuous week and extensive internal discussions within the conference, the House GOP opted for Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio as their next nominee in the speaker race.
Jordan assumed the nomination following the withdrawal of the initial pick, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., on Thursday night.
Friday proved to be a remarkable day for the conference, featuring an unexpected challenge for the gavel as conservative powerhouse Jordan faced off against Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.
In the end, the Ohio Republican secured the nomination, earning 124 votes in contrast to Scott’s 81 votes.
After Jordan’s nomination, Scott expressed his respect, tweeting, “I highly respect Jim Jordan. He is an asset to the Republican Party and our nominee for Speaker.”
Scott emphasized the importance of unity within the conference, saying, “Our conference has spoken, and now we must unite behind Jordan so we can get Congress back to work.”
The timing of the floor vote for Jordan’s nomination remains uncertain, and it’s possible he’ll need to secure support from several undecided members to secure the position.
In a second vote to gauge support for a floor vote, Scott endorsed Jordan, but there were still 55 votes against him. Notably, both of Friday’s conference votes were conducted through secret ballots.
For Jordan to be elected on the House floor with every member participating, he can only afford to lose four Republican votes, assuming no Democrats support his bid.
As of now, the House remains without a speaker as they adjourned for the weekend. Lawmakers informed Fox News Digital that Jordan will have the weekend to persuade the holdouts to support him before the conference reconvenes.
Republicans are expected to gather for a complete conference meeting on Monday or Tuesday. A full floor vote regarding Jordan’s candidacy is likely to take place following the conference meeting.
Jordan’s nomination follows his previous defeat in the initial speaker’s race against Scalise, whose unexpected withdrawal on Thursday caught the conference off guard, causing a stir within the GOP.
Nevertheless, Jordan’s performance in Friday’s conference votes fell short of expectations for the frontrunner, possibly indicating further challenges ahead.