Republicans wrapped up the week without making progress in their quest to elect a new speaker. Internal disagreements within the party have hindered their ability to govern, causing a state of inaction in the House. The turmoil within the House GOP has escalated significantly in recent days, as the conference has been unable to identify a suitable replacement for Kevin McCarthy, who was unexpectedly removed from his position by a minority group of uncompromising conservatives.
Rep. Jim Jordan, the newly nominated GOP speaker, takes over after Majority Leader Steve Scalise withdrew from the race. However, Jordan is confronted with the same challenging vote count that ultimately led to Scalise's unsuccessful bid for speaker. With 217 votes required to secure victory in a full House floor vote, Jordan currently falls short. Despite having the entire weekend to persuade undecided members and change their stance, he faces an extremely difficult task ahead.
The GOP conference experienced a sudden change of events this week. Initially, Scalise won a vote to be the speaker nominee, but eventually withdrew due to strong opposition against him. Subsequently, another vote was held to appoint Jordan as the new nominee. However, it quickly became evident that Jordan also encountered significant resistance.
As long as there is no speaker, the functioning of the House remains at a standstill. This is a critical situation, particularly with a looming government funding deadline in mid-November and ongoing crises in Ukraine and Israel's conflict with Hamas.
Asked by CNNs Manu Raju how the entire episode reflects on the GOP, McCarthy said on Friday, "its terrible."
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McCarthy blames Democrats for 'disrupting the country'
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Republicans have grown increasingly frustrated that the conference has not been able to coalesce around a candidate. Some are openly questioning whether anyone can reach 217 votes.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise speaks at the Capitol on October 12, 2023 in Washington, DC.
In a surprising turn of events, Jordan emerged victorious in the speaker nomination battle against GOP Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia. The final vote tally stood at 124 to 81, falling considerably short of the 217 votes needed for victory.
Jordan then held a second vote on Friday afternoon, inquiring whether members would endorse him on the floor. The vote, conducted through secret ballot, revealed the significant hurdle that Jordan encounters in his pursuit of the gavel.
In the event of a full House vote for speaker, Jordan or any other Republican candidate can only tolerate the loss of four GOP votes, assuming all members participate in the voting process.
Republican Rep. Mike Garcia of California stated on Friday that Jordan and his team will have a 48-hour window to "reach out and determine the reasons why individuals haven't pledged their support yet, and hopefully persuade them to do so before Monday." Garcia expressed his belief that Jordan will ultimately succeed. However, Jordan's polarizing image on the national level may raise apprehensions among more moderate conference members, while staunch conservatives like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz have commended his nomination.
Gaetz stated in an interview with CNN's Michael Smerconish on Saturday that Kevin McCarthy's removal by both Democrats and Republicans was a result of his failure to fulfill numerous conflicting commitments that he had no intention of fulfilling. Gaetz also expressed that Jim Jordan's leadership would effectively restore fiscal responsibility and reinvigorate the Republican party, enabling them to triumph in elections and advance their policy goals.
Jordan, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has been at the forefront of important House GOP investigations. Known for his conservative activism, he played a significant role in establishing the hardline House Freedom Caucus.
As the crisis within the GOP leadership continues, certain Republicans have proposed giving more authority to Patrick McHenry from North Carolina, who currently holds the position of interim speaker. However, the feasibility and level of backing for this idea remain uncertain.
Additional information has been added to this story. Contributions to this report were made by CNN's Manu Raju, Morgan Rimmer, Kristin Wilson, Sam Fossum, Lauren Fox, Melanie Zanona, Annie Grayer, and Haley Talbot.
