Some GOP lawmakers are pushing to give interim Speaker Patrick McHenry more power temporarily
The House of Representatives is facing another day without a speaker, and Republican infighting and the inability to secure enough support for Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan are expected to weigh on more votes.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who represents Louisiana, announced that the next round of votes in the House will take place no earlier than 12:00 p.m. On Thursday.
The timeline coincides with the plans of Jim Jordan of Ohio, who intends to hold a third round of voting on the floor to choose the speaker.
A spokesman for Jordan confirmed Wednesday that Fox News Digital will continue its efforts. Furthermore, on Wednesday night, the Jordanian representative reiterated his commitment to proceed with the third round of voting.
Even if Republican Jim Jordan has been nominated to be the next House speaker, he still needs the support of 217 members to retain the seat. On Wednesday, all House Democrats, along with 22 Republicans, voted against Jordan’s nomination for speaker. That marks two more Republican lawmakers voting against him than the previous day. All Democrats voted in favor of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
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However, Jordan’s supporters argue that these voting results do not necessarily indicate the failure of his speakership campaign.
“Don’t lose faith if [Jordan] loses a few votes on the second ballot. I’m committed to voting for Jim as Speaker any number of times, as long as he puts his name forward,” the spokesperson said. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., wrote in X. “That means we vote all night, then we vote all night!”
Earlier, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa., also expressed optimism.
“No surprise: Jordan is likely to get a lot less votes today than yesterday – as I expected,” Perry said on social media.
“This is the fight that Jim Jordan represents – to end the status quo, and it won’t be easy…Stay strong and keep praying.”
At least 199 Republican lawmakers continue to support Jim Jordan for the House Speaker position, exploring alternatives such as empowering Rep. Patrick McHenry, who is currently acting speaker, also known as Speaker Pro Tempore.
Rep. Dave Joyce of Pennsylvania, who chairs the Republican governance group, advocates expanding McHenry’s leadership role, especially in light of the need to get congressional approval for Israel’s aid to the terrorist group Hamas.
The idea is gaining traction among lawmakers, including those who voted against Jim Jordan. Representative Carlos Gimenez of Florida, who expressed his intention to continue voting for Kevin McCarthy on the House floor, also voiced his support for the effort.
“If we don’t make progress on selecting a speaker in a day or two, I believe we need to take steps to get the House back on track. Therefore, I would support any resolution that would give McHenry additional authority to accomplish this,” he said. mentioned.
The House of Representatives is currently navigating uncharted territory, with a historic event in the chamber as Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted. It is uncertain whether McHenry’s current powers extend beyond overseeing the process of selecting the next speaker.
Although Patrick McHenry has expressed disinterest in the role, he is increasingly seen as a potential compromise candidate who could garner support from at least some Democrats.
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries from New York admitted that McHenry was “honored on our side” when asked about his potential as a candidate. Jeffries also noted the existence of “informal conversations” regarding a potential deal on the GOP speaker, which he hopes will gain momentum following Jim Jordan’s challenging campaign.
On Tuesday night, former Republican Speakers Newt Gingrich and John Boehner both expressed their approval of the idea of empowering Patrick McHenry.
However, sources told Fox News Digital that Jim Jordan still has a potential path to the speakership. Some suggest that he needs more time to gather the necessary support, and a temporary solution may help him in that regard.
The current uncertainty in the House comes after Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida introduced a vacate motion earlier this month aimed at then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California. When Democrats and eight Republicans voted together, McCarthy was removed from his seat, the first in United States history.