Despite numerous mainstream media reports of Jim Jordan’s “momentum” over the past few days, the Judiciary Chairman is short up to 20 Republican votes to become Speaker of the House in Tuesday’s vote, according to Punchbowl News. Republicans led by Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) ousted Kevin McCarthy as Speaker two weeks ago to the day, with no plan to replace him.
Jordan is opposed by Democrats for his alleged role in the 2020 insurrection, his “dishonest” attacks on President Joe Biden and the Biden family, and for his alleged refusal to act to protect his college wrestlers from sexual abuse when he was their coach at Ohio State. Jordan has also never had a bill signed into law despite having served in Congress since 2007.
“Jordan is in trouble,” Punchbowl News reported Tuesday. “Some House GOP insiders suggest the 59-year-old Judiciary Committee chair is as many as 20 votes short of winning the speaker’s gavel. That’s a very daunting hill for Jordan and his allies to climb.”
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CNN’s Haley Talbot has also been charting the votes, and as of Monday night reports there are five “hard no/big mad” votes against Jordan, which is the ballgame right there, barring any Democrats crossing the aisle, which would be all but impossible. Jordan can afford to lose up to four Republicans.
Talbot has another five on the “leaning no/big mad” list, and three who are undecided or won’t say.
Late Monday night Talbot posted a list of 55 House Republicans who had not publicly stated how they will vote.
In a “Dear Colleague” letter to House Republicans Monday, Jordan claimed the fractured GOP conference was preferable to Democrats whom he said “march in lock-step.” Jordan in that letter also likened his Republican colleagues to the Mafia.
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Tuesday morning, MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” reported, “There might be a vote at noon today to figure out whether or not the Republicans can get it together and elect somebody who tried to overthrow the United States government.”
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