The Republican side of the House of Representatives continues to reel in turmoil as the second round of voting for a new Speaker showed Republicans to be more divided than a few days ago when the first vote was taken.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is the frontrunner Republican nominee—he received 210 votes on Monday, and 208 votes on Wednesday.
Preceding the vote, Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) presented an endorsement and nomination speech on the House floor.
Rep. Jordan appeared optimistic but frustrated, telling reporters, “I think we gotta decide today. Are we going to have a Republican Speaker? Or is the body going to adopt this resolution [regarding empowering] the Speaker pro tem?”
In both rounds of voting, Democrat Hakeem Jeffries secured more votes than any Republican in the GOP-controlled House.
The 22 Republicans who voted did not vote to confirm Rep. Jordan as Speaker are:
- Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon
- Florida Rep. Vern Buchanan
- Colorado Rep. Ken Buck
- Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer
- New York Rep. Anthony D’Esposito
- Florida Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart
- Georgia Rep. Drew Ferguson
- New York Rep. Andrew Garbarino
- Florida Rep. Carlos Giménez
- Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales
- Texas Rep. Kay Granger
- Michigan Rep. John James
- Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Kelly
- Virginia Rep. Jen Kiggans
- New York Rep. Nick LaLota
- New York Rep. Mike Lawler
- Iowa Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks
- Florida Rep. John Rutherford
- Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson
- Minnesota Rep. Pete Stauber
- Arkansas Rep. Steve Womack
The Washington Examiner reported the apparent impasse could be resolved by expanding the powers held by Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC).
suggestion
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) and others appear to favor the move. “We need to do that,” Gimenez said on Tuesday. “It’s not just about the situation now. It’s about the future. If we have an incapacitated speaker of the House in the future due to illness or injury or whatever, this place can’t stop working. So we need to fix that problem. That’s an inherent problem inside the houses.”
Rep. Jordan opposes the suggestion but said: “I think both questions should be called. Let’s get an answer. I think we should have that resolution, that question called. Let’s get a vote on that and find out.”
Some Conservative donors, wanting a new Speaker to be chosen so important legislative issues can be addressed, told the Daily Caller they would withhold funding Republican House members who refuse to support Jordan for Speaker.
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