The US House of Representatives Struggles to Elect a Speaker

Gage Skidmore from Peoria

The US House of Representatives is set to vote for the third time on Congressman Jim Jordan’s bid to become speaker. The hard-right Ohio Republican and loyalist to Donald Trump has failed twice before to secure the role, leading to an ongoing stalemate and a shutdown of the House for over two weeks.

Jordan’s Struggle for Support

Despite leading the congressional effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election and currently chairing the House judiciary committee, Jordan has been unable to convince enough of his colleagues to deliver him the gavel. Even though he vowed to stay in the race after the latest vote, his path forward seems all but gone.

The Stalemate’s Impact on the Republican Party

The weeks-long stalemate following the historic ouster of Republican Kevin McCarthy has plunged the Republican party into chaos. In response to the deadlock within the majority party, a bipartisan group of lawmakers has begun exploring a plan to temporarily expand the powers of Republican Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, the acting speaker.

Seeking a Solution

Oregon Republican Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who opposes Jordan, has called for an expansion of the acting speaker’s powers. She stated, “It’s time to empower the speaker pro tempore. While we continue working on finding a consensus candidate for speaker that will prevent this dysfunction from continuing, we must resume the business of governing.”

Jordan’s Plea for Unity

Despite years of antagonizing the party’s leaders, Jordan made an unexpected plea for party unity. However, the founding member of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus was unable to persuade his colleagues that he could unite their fractious majority and lead the chamber.

The Votes

On the last vote, twenty-two Republicans and all Democrats opposed Jordan, leaving him far short of the 217 votes needed to ascend to the speakership. Four Republicans who had supported him initially flipped against him, while only two Republicans, Doug LaMalfa of California and Victoria Spartz of Indiana, dropped their opposition.

The Clock is Ticking

The House of Representatives faces pressing issues, including reaching a funding deal within a month to avoid a federal shutdown. Additionally, President Biden is expected to send requests for aid to Ukraine and Israel, which the House will need to address. With the leadership stalemate ongoing, the ability of the House to meet these challenges remains uncertain.