Jim Jordan is expected to re-launch his bid for speaker two days after being defeated by Scalise in an internal ballot
The House GOP conference is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. ET on Capitol Hill on Oct. 13—one day after House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) took himself out of the running for the gavel as he was unable to get at least the needed 217 votes for victory.
The meeting comes as Israel comes under attack from the terrorist group Hamas, with just over a month until the U.S. government is set to shut down.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who lost to Mr. Scalise by a vote of 113-99 in an internal election on Oct. 11, is expected to run again. At least a dozen Republicans came out against Mr. Scalise’s bid even after he secured the nomination.
Republicans Leaving With No Votes Expected–4:45 p.m. ET
House Republicans are leaving Capitol Hill for the weekend with no votes expected until next week.
After Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) secured the nomination for speaker from his party in a 124–88 vote, many dissenters to giving Mr. Jordan the gavel remain.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) told The Epoch Times that floor votes aren’t expected on the party’s speaker nominee until Tuesday.
Mr. Burchett, who supports Mr. Jordan, also said that only 152 Republicans said that they would support handing the House Judiciary chair the gavel in a vote following the nomination. 55 said they wouldn’t.
That leaves Mr. Jordan far short of what he can spare to become speaker, as all but five Republicans will need to support him on the floor.
Jordan Defeats Rival for Nomination–4:10 p.m. ET
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) has officially been nominated by Republicans for speaker of the House according to lawmakers coming out of the closed-door meeting.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) told The Epoch Times that Mr. Jordan received 124 votes in the secret ballot, only a 25 vote improvement over his earlier face-off with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.).
Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.), who declared his candidacy only minutes before the conference meeting, received a substantial 81 votes, demonstrating that, despite winning the nomination, Mr. Jordan still has a ways to go to reach the 217 votes needed to win the gavel. Many centrist Republicans and supporters of Mr. Scalise’s bid for the gavel remain opposed to Mr. Jordan.
By Jackson Richman and Joseph Lord
