Wed, 18 Oct 2023 14:15:50 -0400
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There is a conflict emerging between allies of House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan who want him to keep going with his bid to be speaker, and Republicans who want him to back out.
It comes after Jordan lost the second round of voting on the floor of the House to elect a House speaker -- and the number of Republicans voting against him increased.
22 Republicans voted against Jordan, who was nominated by the GOP conference last week. He could lose only four votes. On Tuesday he lost 20 Republicans.
Some Jordan allies wanted him to keep going.
"Don’t lose faith if @Jim_Jordan loses a few votes on the second ballot," Rep. Jeff Duncan, said on X. "I’m committed to voting as many times as we must to get Jim elected as Speaker, as long as he is putting his name forward. If that means we vote all night, then buckle up cause we will vote all night!"
Other Republicans are looking for other paths, including how to empower interim speaker Patrick McHenry as a way out of the stalemate.
Meanwhile, Jordan's team told Fox News Digital that "we're going to keep going."
Fox News' Chad Pergram and Liz Elkind contributed to this report.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 13:41:13 -0400
The GOP conference will meet at 1:30 p.m. after the second round of voting for House speaker proved to be inconclusive.
Rep. Kevin Hern told reporters there will be a 1:30 pm conference.
Meanwhile, House Democrats will meet at 2 p.m.
On Wednesday, 22 Republicans voted against Jordan, who was nominated by the GOP conference last week. He could lose only four votes. It is now unclear whether he will be able to drum up enough support to win the 217 votes to win the gavel.
Jordan came 17 votes short in the first round of voting after 20 GOP lawmakers voted against him. All Democrats voted for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Some Republicans are now looking at expanding the powers of interim House Speaker Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., after two weeks of gridlock without a leader -- an idea that has been gaining support amid the stalemate.
Fox News' Chad Pergram and Liz Elkind contributed to this report.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 14:14:11 -0400
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House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan has lost the second round of voting to elect a House speaker -- after the number of Republicans voting against him increased.
On Wednesday, 22 Republicans voted against Jordan, who was nominated by the GOP conference last week. He could lose only four votes.
Four Republicans who voted for Jordan yesterday voted for someone else today: Reps Buchanan, R-Fla., Ferguson, R-Ga., Miller Meeks, R-Iowa, and Stauber, R-Minn.
Jordan flipped 1 Republican to his column -- Rep LaMalfa, R-Calif.
Other Republicans voted for lawmakers including former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, former Speaker John Boehner and former Rep. Lee Zeldin.
Jordan came 17 votes short of the 217 votes needed to win the gavel on Tuesday in the first round of voting after 20 GOP lawmakers voted against him. All Democrats voted for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Jordan will need to show some improvement today, or his bid could suffer further defections to other candidates. If he gains votes however, his supporters will say he has traction and there should be a third vote.
Some Republicans are now looking at expanding the powers of interim House Speaker Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., after two weeks of gridlock without a leader -- an idea that has been gaining support amid the stalemate.
Fox News' Liz Elkind, Houston Keene and Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:17:09 -0400
A Democratic congressman says he will make his nominating speeches shorter if the House can find a compromise candidate for House speaker -- but also expressed doubt that that was going to happen.
Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., was speaking ahead of the second round of voting for House speaker. He, along with other Democrats, were nominating Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Republicans have nominated Rep. Jim Jordan, but have so far failed to unite the caucus behind him, with 20 Republicans voting against him in the first round on Tuesday. Jordan can only lose a handful of Republicans and win the gavel.
Some Republicans and Democrats have talked about the possibility of a compromise candidate if the stalemate continues -- given it has now been over two weeks without a House speaker.
But Aguilar expressed doubt about that happening, while promising limit his speeches if that does happen.
"I promise to make these speeches shorter if we get closer to a compromise, but I'm not certain that's going to happen at this moment," he said.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:03:33 -0400
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All House Republican lawmakers are present in the chamber ahead of the second round of voting for the next speaker of the House -- with House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan hoping to keep his hopes of winning the gavel alive.
Jordan came 17 votes short of the 217 votes needed to win the gavel on Tuesday after 20 GOP lawmakers voted against him. While more than four votes in opposition would sink Jordan on the second round, a strong improvement could still put him in a position to prevail in a succeeding round.
But so far four Republican lawmakers have said they will note vote for him on the second ballot, meaning one additional no would mean he does not have enough votes.
One Democrat lawmaker was absent, but could show up later before voting. Should one Democrat be absent, it would mean Jordan could have five Republican no votes and still be Speaker.
Meanwhile, some Republicans are looking at expanding the powers of interim House Speaker Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., after two weeks of gridlock without a leader -- an idea that has been gaining support amid the stalemate.
Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind and Houston Keene contributed to this report.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:28:23 -0400
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Four of the House Republicans who voted against Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, in the House speaker race on Tuesday say they will do so again, putting Jordan in a position where he cannot lose any other GOP members and prevail.
Jordan came 17 votes short of the 217 votes needed to win the gavel after 20 GOP lawmakers voted against him. While more than four votes in opposition would sink Jordan on the second round, a strong improvement could still put him in a position to prevail in a succeeding round.
Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., who voted for Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., instead, has not changed his position on Jordan, his office indicated to Fox News Digital. Buck had previously expressed reservations over Jordan's support for former President Trump's 2020 election claims.
Another GOP lawmaker, Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., has sworn to keep voting for ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on the House floor. His spokesperson said his mind remains unchanged on Wednesday morning, and Gimenez told Fox News Digital himself that he was now supportive of a GOP push to temporarily empower interim Speaker Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., to pass legislation while House Republicans work to agree on a candidate.
A spokesperson for Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., pointed Fox News Digital to comments the freshman Republican made on CNN also supporting the McHenry effort. LaLota cast his vote on Tuesday for former New York GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., is also still voting against Jordan on Wednesday, his spokesperson told Fox News Digital. He voted for Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 10:17:17 -0400
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The idea of temporarily expanding the powers of interim House Speaker Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., is now also gaining steam among lawmakers who voted against House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., who has said he will keep voting for McCarthy on the House floor, told Fox News Digital that he was supportive of the effort.
"If we don't get to a speaker in a day or two, I think we need to move forward in getting the House back in business, and so any resolution that would give McHenry more power to do that…I would be in favor of," he said.
McHenry was chosen by ex-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to serve as speaker pro tempore if he were ever ousted, which he was earlier this month in a House majority vote by eight Republicans and all Democrats.
Twenty Republicans voted for someone other than Jordan, a tally that caught allies who expected a closer finish by surprise. Before that, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., had clinched the GOP nomination for speaker before stepping back from the race the next day over mounting public opposition.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 09:53:07 -0400
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A key moderate Republican leader is looking to introduce a resolution on Wednesday temporarily expanding the powers of interim House Speaker Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., after two weeks of gridlock without a leader.
McHenry was chosen by ex-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to serve as speaker pro tempore if he were ever ousted, which he was earlier this month in a House majority vote by eight Republicans and all Democrats.
Now, Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Pa., chairman of the Republican Governance Group, is calling to flesh out McHenry’s role in leadership, particularly in light of the urgency for Congress to approve aid for Israel as it fights a bloody war with terror group Hamas.
A source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital that Joyce hopes to introduce a resolution to do so Wednesday.
It comes after Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, fell 17 votes short of the 217 he needed to win the speaker’s gavel on Tuesday.
Twenty Republicans voted for someone other than Jordan, a tally that caught allies who expected a closer finish by surprise. Before that, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., had clinched the GOP nomination for speaker before stepping back from the race the next day over mounting public opposition.
Joyce had been one of the 200 Republicans who cast his vote for Jordan on Tuesday.
He told Fox News Digital on Wednesday morning, "After two weeks without a Speaker of the House and no clear candidate with 217 votes in the Republican conference, it is time to look at other viable options. By empowering Patrick McHenry as Speaker Pro Tempore we can take care of our ally Israel until a new Speaker is elected."
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 09:54:07 -0400
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The House of Representatives is expected to hold a second vote later today to elect a House speaker, but it remains unclear how GOP nominee Jim Jordan will fare.
The House will meet at 11am, to be followed by a live quorum call to take attendance and the nominating speeches -- meaning there vote not be an actual vote until later in the 11am hour or noon.
Republicans nominated House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, who lost in the first round after 20 Republican members voted for other candidates. Jordan can lose only four Republicans, if no Democrats vote for him.
He is expected to pick up support today in Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., who returns after being absent yesterday.
However, he could also lose the support of other members, as some believe he had his chance yesterday. They also note that the vote was one more opportunity than was given to Majority Leader Steve Scalise -- who was the previous nominee but withdrew after failing to drum up enough support to win a floor vote.
Jordan will need to show some improvement today, or his bid could suffer further defections to other candidates. If he gains votes however, his supporters will say he has traction and there should be a third vote.
There is also increasing chatter about the House adopting a resolution to empower Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., as acting Speaker.
Lawmakers are jittery about the House now being in a legislative stasis for more than two weeks as the Middle East burns and a government shutdown looms next month.
Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:55:34 -0400
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Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, says he is sticking with Rep. Jim Jordan's effort become Speaker of the House for "as long as it takes."
Roy made the vow during an appearance on Fox News late Tuesday night. Jordan failed to secure the necessary votes to become speaker on Tuesday. He faces a second attempt later Wednesday morning.
"I'm going to stick with Jim for as long as it takes. I'm not going anywhere," Roy said. "My message to my colleagues is: We're going to change this town."
Roy pointed out that Jordan received 200 votes in his first ballot, which he said is "relatively similar" to McCarthy's first showing early this year.
"I'm going to stick with Jim until he decides what he needs to do," Roy finished.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:48:50 -0400
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Republican in-fighting over who will succeed Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has devolved into "petty nonsense," Judge Jeanine Pirro said late Tuesday.
Pirro added that she is furious with the eight Republicans who voted with Democrats to oust McCarthy from his speakership on October 3.
"I'm so angry that we're in this situation," she said, exasperated. "Jim Jordan is great, [Steve] Scalise is great, McCarthy was great. I don't--It's petty nonsense."
Scalise has already withdrawn his candidacy for Speaker, and Jordan will make his second attempt at a vote later Wednesday morning.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 08:16:05 -0400
As reporters chased Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, down a hallway shortly before Tuesday's vote, he declared himself "confident" of winning the speaker’s job.
His confidence wasn’t enough. With 20 Republicans voting for others – even though Jordan’s opponents couldn’t find a protest candidate to run – he lost the first round.
It was quite a feat for the Judiciary Committee chairman to lose by that margin – he could only afford four defectors – since he’d only gotten 124 votes in the GOP’s secret ballot, far short of the magic number of 217. Since a few of the converts had vowed to never, ever back Jordan, that highlighted his skill at winning over members.
More horse-trading must now be under way. The onetime wrestling coach would have to flip 16 of the 20 no votes against him, which seems a tall order. McCarthy, who was ousted in less than nine months, lost only eight Republicans.
Read more from Fox News' Howard Kurtz
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:05:39 -0400
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The Wall Street Journal editorial board offered a scathing rebuke of the disfunction among House Republicans late Tuesday after Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan failed to secure enough votes to become Speaker.
The board's comment comes after House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., withdrew his candidacy after Jordan's allies strongarmed him last week.
"With each turn of the screw, the eight Republicans who deposed Mr. McCarthy look more foolish all the time. They didn’t have a plan for what to do next. They didn’t have an alternative candidate for Speaker. What kind of an idiot mutineer takes over the man-of-war, tosses the captain overboard, and then spends two weeks pulling ropes at random, hoping like hell that the thing will somehow drift ashore before the supplies run out?" WSJ wrote.
"The people’s House always includes some unserious characters, but now it has serious work to do," it added.
The group went on to float the idea of empowering Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry's authorities to allow him to pursue a "limited" agenda.
Congress has remained paralyzed over the speaker fight since October 3.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 06:41:23 -0400
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Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is gearing up for another vote in his bid to become speaker later on Wednesday morning.
Jordan, the second GOP nominee to fill the role this month, fell 17 votes short of the 217 he needed to win Tuesday afternoon.
"We're gonna keep going. I've had great conversations, great discussions with our colleagues," Jordan said late Tuesday. "No one in our conference wants to see any type of coalition government with Democrats. So we're going to keep working, and we're going to get to the votes."
The House is now returning at 11 a.m. ET for the next planned vote, but even many lawmakers are at a loss about what comes now.
Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., told Fox News Digital on Tuesday evening that anyone who claims to know what will happen next "is full of it."
Malliotakis, who voted for Jordan, said she intends to keep doing so — and predicted that his support would grow.
"I think there's some movement, and that's positive. So the idea is to build consensus, that’s positive, not to jump ship just because it didn’t work in the first round," she said. "As I see it, he's the person who can bring the factions together now. If he can't, quite frankly, then we have bigger problems."
Jordan faces opposition in other GOP camps, however.
Read more from Fox News' Elizabeth Elkind.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 20:43:09 -0400
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Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is calling for unity among House Republicans just hours after a number of party members tanked the chamber's first vote on a new speaker.
"We must stop attacking each other and come together. There’s too much at stake. Let’s get back to working on the crisis at the southern border, inflation, and helping Israel," Jordan wrote in a post on X.
Jordan won the support of 200 Republicans in Tuesday's sole vote while 20 split their support between a number of others. All 212 Democrats voted for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
217 voters were needed to win the speaker's gavel.
The House is expected to reconvene at 11:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 19:58:28 -0400
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., railed against the GOP nominee for House speaker following a failed vote to fill the role Tuesday.
Jeffries spoke to reporters outside the Capitol in Washington, D.C, following House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan's attempt to gather enough votes on the House floor to win the speakership.
Jeffries blasted Jordan, R-Ohio, after his first speaker vote failed with 20 Republican votes against him, saying the GOP speaker nominee is the "poster child of MAGA extremism" and "not one" of the respected Republicans among the House Democrats.
During the gaggle, Jeffries said that "informal talks" are ongoing with some Republicans, but would not elaborate.
"My hope, now that it's clear Jim Jordan lacks the votes to be speaker, is that those conversations will accelerate this evening," Jeffries said.
Jeffries also said that "House Democrats have made it clear" they are "ready, willing, and able to find bipartisan common ground on any issue in order to make a difference in the lives of everyday Americans."
Fox News' Houston Keene and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 19:45:35 -0400
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The House Sergeant at Arms has warned members of Congress and their staffs of the "potential for civil disturbance" on Wednesday when the chamber is scheduled to continue the process of selecting a new speaker.
An email from the Sergeant at Arms' office said law enforcement were monitoring "the intelligence regarding the conflict overseas," and that "the potential for demonstration activity" at the Capitol was grounds for personnel to use underground tunnels to traverse between buildings.
The email added that the Capitol Square would be limited to members, staff and those with official business.
Protests called "Stop the Gaza Genocide," organized by the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, are scheduled to take place across the country on Wednesday, including in Washington, D.C.
Wed, 18 Oct 2023 08:25:24 -0400
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told reporters Tuesday afternoon there would be no more votes on the next Speaker of the House for the remainder of the day.
The House is expected to reconvene Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. ET and proceed to a recorded vote on the quorum call.
Following nominating speeches, the House will then proceed to a second ballot.
Fox News' Kelly Phares contributed to this report.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 16:34:41 -0400
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Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, suggested Tuesday afternoon that at least one of the 20 Republicans who did not vote for Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, for speaker would back him on the second round.
“One of these 20 – I won't say who yet, I'm not sure if it's public – has said that they'll vote for Jim next time,” Roy said on Sean Hannity’s radio show after the first vote.
“I think there's a couple more that are getting, you know, moving in the right direction.”
Roy speculated that the second House-wide vote could likely come this evening, around 6 p.m. ET.
Jordan has already told reporters he plans to hold another round after falling short of the 217 votes needed to win the speaker’s gavel earlier on Tuesday.
Jordan won the support of 200 Republicans in the first round, while all 212 House Democrats voted for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 16:09:04 -0400
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House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan says the plan is to get back to the House floor for another round of voting to elect the next House speaker, after an unsuccessful first round of voting this afternoon.
"We need to get a speaker as soon as possible to get back to work for the American people," Jordan, the Republican candidate to take the gavel, said.
Jordan lost the first speakership vote in the House, with a significant number of Republicans voting for other candidates.
Jordan only picked up 200 votes, far short of the 217 he needed to secure the speaker's gavel. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was the top vote-getter with 212, with all Democrats voting for him.
The House went into recess and it was not clear if there was going to be another vote today. But Jordan was asked if lawmakers were going back to the House floor later today.
"That's the plan. That's the plan," he said.
Fox News' Kelly Phares and Liz Elkind contributed to this report.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 15:36:20 -0400
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The Democratic National Committee is taking a victory lap after Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, fell 17 votes short of what he needed to win the speaker’s gavel.
The DNC headlines its memo, “DNC Statement on Republicans Failing to Elect a Speaker (Again)”
“We’re on day 14 without a speaker of the House, one month out from another potential Republican shutdown, and chaos reigns over the House GOP,” the statement read.
“Americans across the country and our allies abroad are watching as the Chaos Caucus makes a mockery of our institutions – and continues to prove they’re incapable of governing. Serious times demand serious leadership, not the GOP’s MAGA clown show with Trump as its ringleader.”
Jordan won 200 House Republican votes, while all 212 Democrats voted for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
A candidate needs to win a majority of the chamber, in this case 217 votes, to win the speakership.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 15:54:07 -0400
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A spokesperson for Rep. Jim Jordan says to expect another round of votes later today, after the House Judiciary Chairman fell short in the first round of voting for the speaker's gavel on the House floor.
“The House needs a speaker as soon as possible. Expect another round of votes today. It’s time for Republicans to come together.” Jordan spokesperson Russell Dye told reporters.
Jordan only received 200 votes, far short of the 217 he needed to secure the speaker's gavel in the first round of voting earlier Tuesday.
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries received the most votes with 212, with all Democrats voting for him.
20 House Republicans voted for someone other than Jordan to take over from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, with some voting for McCarthy, others voting for Steve Scalise and others voting for candidates including Reps. Thomas Massie and Tom Cole and former Rep. Lee Zeldin.
The House went into recess immediately after the vote, and it was unclear if there would be another round of voting today.
A source familiar told Fox News Digital that Jordan met with Scalise after the vote, with Jordan asking for Scalise's help and support with his speaker bid -- but the source said Scalise would not commit.
A Scalise spokesperson, however, said the account is "not accurate."
"Leader Scalise has been the only candidate throughout this process who has publicly declared he will be supportive of whomever the conference nominates for Speaker, and his position has not changed. He voted for Jim Jordan on the floor and will continue to do so."
Fox News' Liz Elkind and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 14:34:03 -0400
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Fox News is told supporters of Rep. Jim Jordan are worried “this gets worse” for Jordan now that there is a recess, after an unsuccessful first speaker vote in the House.
“I’m afraid there will be more votes against him,” said one senior Republican.
Jordan only picked up 200 votes, far short of the 217 he needed to secure the speaker's gavel.
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was the top vote-getter with 212, with all Democrats voting for him.20 House Republicans voted for someone other than Jordan to take over from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, with some voting for McCarthy, others voting for Steve Scalise and others voting for candidates including Reps. Thomas Massie and Tom Cole and former Rep. Lee Zeldin.
Scalise received 7 votes, McCarthy received 6, Zeldin received 3, and four others received one vote.
After the vote, the House went into recess. It is unclear if the House would take another vote later today or wait until tomorrow.
Fox News' Chad Pergram and Liz Elkind contributed to this report.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 14:12:49 -0400
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Three House Republican lawmakers bucked from their party’s nomination for speaker, instead choosing to back former GOP New York gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin instead.
New York Reps. Anthony D’Esposito, Nick LaLota and Andrew Garbarino, both Republicans, did not cast their speaker vote behind GOP nominee Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.
Instead, the three Empire State Republicans threw their hat behind fellow New Yorker Zeldin, who previously served in the House, during the initial ballot.
Jordan lost his first ballot to succeed now-former Speaker Kevin McCarthy behind the gavel. The House will likely vote again on Jordan’s candidacy.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 14:54:12 -0400
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House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan has lost the first speakership vote in the House, with a substantial number of Republicans voting for other candidates.
Jordan only picked up 200 votes, far short of the 217 he needed to secure the speaker's gavel. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries was the top vote-getter with 212, with all Democrats voting for him.
20 House Republicans voted for someone other than Jordan to take over from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, with some voting for McCarthy, others voting for Steve Scalise and others voting for candidates including Reps. Thomas Massie and Tom Cole and former Rep. Lee Zeldin.
Scalise received 7 votes, McCarthy received 6, Zeldin received 3, and four others received one vote.
After the vote, the House went into recess.
McCarthy was ousted two weeks ago. Fox News was told that some dissenters are only willing to give Jordan a ballot or two to see if he can get the votes, with some noting that House Majority Leader Steve Scalise was never given a chance for a vote on the floor of the House.
If Jordan does not win on the first ballot today, it is unclear if the House would take another vote later today or wait until tomorrow. Jordan was noncommittal when Fox News tried to ask him last night how many ballots he was willing to go through or if he would want to take another vote for Speaker right away.
Fox News' Chad Pergram and Liz Elkind contributed to this report.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 12:48:06 -0400
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Every House Democrat is present on Tuesday for the chamber-wide vote to elect its next speaker.
Before getting the planned vote underway, the House first called a quorum to get an exact picture of how many lawmakers on both sides are missing.
And while the left has all of its members in attendance, the same can’t be said for the GOP majority.
Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., is missing the afternoon vote because of a family funeral and will be back in the evening, his office told Fox News Digital earlier.
Even with full GOP presence, Republicans’ razor-thin majority leaves little margin for error. House Republicans hold just a four-seat majority, meaning five GOP votes is enough to tank any vote that does not have Democratic support.
And it’s virtually guaranteed that Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, Republicans’ nominee, will get no help from the left to win the gavel.
With the current layout, he cannot lose more than three GOP votes to still win the gavel.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 12:32:25 -0400
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A top moderate in the House GOP conference is – somewhat reluctantly – backing Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, for speaker.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., released a statement shortly before the House-wide vote calling the eight Republicans who voted to oust ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., “extremists” and the House Democrats who all voted with them their “aiders and abettors.”
“[T]hey have now left the rest of us with no other option than to immediately fill the Speaker vacancy with the first Member of the Majority who can garner 218 votes,” Fitzpatrick said.
“Whoever is chosen will be a direct consequence of the 208 + 8 who decided to punish bipartisanship and throw the People’s house into chaos.”
The suggestion that Fitzpatrick is voting for Jordan is a big get for the Ohio Republican, who has been a hard sell to moderates and establishment Republicans because of his closeness to former President Trump and reputation as a GOP bomb-thrower.
He’s also the GOP co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, a key Congressional group that’s been in turmoil since McCarthy’s ouster.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:45:25 -0400
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Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., told Fox News Digital that "if this doesn't work with Jim Jordan, yes," he sees a potential bipartisan coalition for speaker and talked up House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.
"I mean, we certainly promote and favor a bipartisan solution to this," Raskin said. "You know, I think that Hakeem Jeffries would be somebody who Republicans can work with. He's, he's true to his word. He's super well organized. He's legislatively prolific."
"So, you know, that's our solution. But if they find it indigestible to vote for a Democrat, there are lots of Republicans that I, speaking for myself, could support," Raskin said. "I would think that Liz Cheney would be the natural compromise candidate. She was the chair of the Republican Conference, the number three person in their hierarchy."
"And if they couldn't vote for Liz Cheney, that would be a hell of a statement about the condition of their party," Raskin said.
Fox News Digital pressed Raskin on if he has any other names in mind for a Republican candidate he could get behind.
Raskin said "there are several of them" he could see himself getting behind but that he "wouldn't want to spoil any of their chances by stating their names publicly."
The Maryland Democrat also said it "seems like any bipartisanship on the part of Republicans becomes a disqualifying factor" in their deliberations for speaker."
So I'm hoping that cooler heads will prevail, but it would be a very extreme statement for them to choose Jim Jordan as speaker," Raskin said.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 13:33:17 -0400
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As a key vote for the next speaker of the House approaches, with Republicans lining up behind House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, it will be important to see how many dissenters there are if he fails to secure the necessary votes on the first roll call vote.
There are thought to be about 5-10 dissenters on the Republican side from Jordan, but there could be more. If that number gets closer to 20, it could be a significant problem for the Ohio congressman.
Fox News is told that some dissenters are only willing to give Jordan a ballot or two, with some noting that House Majority Leader Steve Scalise was never given a chance for a vote on the floor of the House.
Consequently, Jordan's opponents resolve may only harden the longer the House goes on in voting, with the possibility of their numbers growing rather than shrinking.
If Jordan does not win on the first ballot today, it is unclear if the House would take another vote later today or wait until tomorrow. Jordan was noncommittal when Fox News tried to ask him last night how many ballots he was willing to go through or if he would want to take another vote for Speaker right away.
Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:55:05 -0400
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Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, is back in Washington, D.C., ahead of the expected vote for House speaker on Tuesday afternoon, her office confirmed to Fox News Digital.
Peltola had been in her home state for several weeks following the death of her husband, who was killed in a plane crash in mid-September.
She had missed the House-wide vote that saw ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., ousted two weeks ago.
If all Democrats are present for the Tuesday afternoon vote, Speaker-designate Jordan will likely only be able to lose three GOP votes to still win the gavel.
Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., a Jordan supporter, is away from DC until 6 p.m. on Tuesday because he is attending a family funeral, his office told Fox news Digital.
Voting is expected to start on Tuesday afternoon but could go on into the evening if Jordan chooses to go through multiple rounds and if he does not clinch a majority on the first vote.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 10:24:00 -0400
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY, is warning her supporters that they need to contact their lawmakers, including in New York, to prevent the prospect of a House Speaker Jim Jordan.
"If you don’t want Jim Jordan to be Speaker, make sure you contact your rep TODAY about it - especially if you’re in Westchester, Hudson Valley, Catskills, Long Island, and beyond," AOC, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
She also linked to a campaign page, which allows supporters to provide an email address and a zip code so they can be connected to their representative.
The House is expected to vote this afternoon on who should be the next speaker, with Jordan requiring 217 votes from the chamber in order to take the gavel.
He’ll need a simple majority to win the speaker’s gavel. But with House Republicans’ razor-thin margin and at least one expected absence, he can only lose three GOP votes to still clinch the speakership if all House Democrats are present.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 09:33:30 -0400
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Key Republicans are rallying around Jim Jordan ahead of a crucial vote later today that could make him the next House speaker.
"Speaker Jordan Day!" declared Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted in a push led by Gaetz, also said on X that he predicts Jordan will be the 56th speaker of the House.
"My prediction is Jim will win this and even on the first round of votes," he said on Fox Business.
Jordan will need 217 votes to become speaker in a vote on the House floor.
The House opens at noon ET, at which point it is expected there will be a “quorum call” to determine how many members are present. Fox News is told that the GOP caucus continues to have attendance problems. That could influence whether or not there is a vote.
If the House forges ahead after the quorum call, expect nominating speeches, followed by a manual vote. The House reading clerks will call the roll alphabetically. Members will respond orally, voting by name. It is unlikely that the House will begin the vote until after 1 p.m. with a result sometime well after 2 p.m.
Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 08:38:30 -0400
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The House could take its first vote today on a new Speaker of the House, two weeks after it voted to remove former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan appears to have narrowed the gap to getting the expected 217 needed votes he needs to take the gavel, but it is unclear if he has the votes confirmed.
The House opens at noon ET, at which point it is expected there will be a “quorum call” to determine how many members are present. Fox News is told that the GOP caucus continues to have attendance problems. That could influence whether or not there is a vote.
If the House forges ahead after the quorum call, expect nominating speeches, followed by a manual vote. The House reading clerks will call the roll alphabetically. Members will respond orally, voting by name.
It is unlikely that the House will begin the vote until after 1 p.m. with a result sometime well after 2 p.m.
If Jordan fails to win, it’s unclear if there would be another vote today. Fox is told it’s doubtful Jordan could win on the first ballot, regardless, and to expect some protest and "sympathy" votes for McCarthy and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
Fox is told to expect some protest and “sympathy” votes on the floor for McCarthy and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. Members can vote for anyone -- including non-members.
Fox News' Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 07:50:52 -0400
Democrats are the current House minority party, but they are barely trailing behind Republicans in terms of seat numbers, which has put political pressure on the slim GOP majority since January.
Currently, the Democrats hold 212 seats in Congress with one vacancy after the departure of Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island earlier this year.
The larger number of House Democrats went against GOP expectations for a larger majority, and the near-even House numbers between the two parties is one of the key factors behind the lower chamber’s lack of a leader.
The House Democratic caucus voted en bloc with eight GOP members to oust now-former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. The Republican holdouts’ plans played into the minority party’s gambit, which ultimately utilized the slim majority to give McCarthy the boot.
The House of Representatives covers the proportional representation of America, as opposed to the Senate’s equal representation of two senators per state. Each state has a number of House seats allocated to them based on population, the largest being California and the smallest being several states with only one at-large member.
Fox News' Houston Keene contributed to this report.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 07:33:21 -0400
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A Brooklyn native and Democratic powerhouse, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York currently sits as the number one blue member in the House of Representatives.
Jeffries took over the House Democrat leadership after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., relinquished the gavel at the start of the GOP-controlled Congress in January.
Since he took the reins, Jeffries has been a prominent messenger and fundraiser for the House Democrats, and he said he has recently been in talks with moderate Republicans in the lower chamber about solving the current speaker crisis since McCarthy's ouster.
"There are informal conversations that have been underway. When we get back to Washington tomorrow, it’s important to begin to formalize those discussions," the House minority leader said during an appearance on NBC’s "Meet the Press" on Sunday.
Jeffries will likely be the House Democrats’ nominee for speaker but will not get the job with the current GOP majority.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 07:21:52 -0400
The very first Speaker of the House, Frederick Augustus Conrad Muhlenberg, was elected on April 1, 1789 during George Washington's presidency. There have been many new speakers since then, many of which have served more than one term.
Some presently well-known speakers include Republican Paul Ryan, Republican John Boehner, Democrat Nancy Pelosi and the recently ousted Republican Kevin McCarthy. Ryan was the youngest serving Speaker of the House in over 150 years and was elected following Boehner's resignation.
Pelosi served from 2007-2009, again from 2009-2011, 2019-2021 and finally from 2021-2023 before McCarthy was elected Speaker on January 7, 2023.
Newt Gingrich, John Hastert, Thomas Foley, Carl Albert and John McCormack have all previously served as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Gingrich helped the Republican Party reclaim a majority in the House for the first time in 40 years when he was elected as Speaker in 1995. He was a presidential candidate in 2012.
Fox News' Gabriele Regalbuto contributed to this report.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 07:07:48 -0400
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Eight Republicans joined 208 Democrats in a historic vote to remove Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, Matt Gaetz, Bob Good, Nancy Mace and Matt Rosendale were the eight Republicans that voted against McCarthy.
Biggs, a representative out of Arizona, addressed his decision in a statement saying, “he has gone against many of the promises he made in January and can no longer be trusted at the helm.”
Buck, a representative of Colorado, shared that his vote against McCarthy mostly came from the fact that he had increased the national debt.
"We are $33 trillion in debt and on track to hit $50 trillion by 2030," he wrote on social media. "We cannot continue to fund the government by continuing resolutions and omnibus spending bills. That's why I voted to oust @SpeakerMcCarthy. We must change course to sensible budgeting and save our country."
Rep. Burchett of Tennessee shared that even though he considers McCarthy a friend, he had to make the decision to vote him out of his role.
Fox News' Ashlyn Messier contributed to this report.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 06:51:57 -0400
The Speaker’s role is to serve as the leader of the House and to preside over its business, and is typically a member of the majority party in the chamber, although he or she is nominated by both parties. It is not required that they be a member of the majority party.
The Speaker controls the chamber’s legislative agenda, meaning they hold a lot of influence in terms of what legislation is brought to the floor. Therefore, whoever takes over the role will assume a great deal of responsibility and will also play a crucial role in what is considered and passed in the chamber.
They will also assign committee roles to members, although they themselves will not sit on any committees.
Additionally, they step in behind the vice president in the presidential line of succession, meaning they are second in line in succession should the president be unable to serve – making whoever is elected speaker the closest Republican to the presidency.
Fox News' Adam Shaw contributed to this report
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 06:43:36 -0400
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says he has no regrets over his decision to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday, despite the decision having left Congress dead in the water.
Jeffries reportedly says Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, would use the Speakership in largely the same manner as McCarthy. Democrats have refused to accept blame from Republican lawmakers over derailing Congress.
“Kevin McCarthy and Jim Jordan have a different demeanor, but they practice the same extreme right-wing ideology,” Jeffries told Punchbowl News late Monday. “They both voted to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election … to criminalize abortion care and impose a nationwide ban and … to end Social Security and Medicare as we know it."
McCarthy's ouster on October 3rd and Republicans' failure to secure a replacement has left Congress unable to pass legislation, even as a support package for Israel would appear to have widespread support.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 06:28:29 -0400
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The House’s makeup is critically important when it comes to selecting a new chamber speaker.
The total number of lawmakers in the lower chamber is a static 435, with the majority party controlling at least 218 of the seats in the House — a simple majority.
Currently, Republicans control 221 seats while Democrats hold 212. Both parties are facing vacancies in the form of Reps. David Cicilline, D-R.I., who left Congress for the private sector, and Chris Stewart, R-Utah, who resigned to take care of his wife amid health issues.
This means that, for Jordan or another lawmaker to become speaker, he or she would need 217 votes.
Typically, the majority party can steamroll the other in choosing the House’s head honcho, but House Republicans are in a unique and historic situation of choosing a leader with a slim majority after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was forced out via a motion to vacate.
Fox News' Houston Keene contributed to this report.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 06:56:13 -0400
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The House of Representatives is finally expected to vote on a new speaker on Tuesday at noon after the chamber ousted its previous leader in a historic majority vote earlier this month.
Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, was chosen as Republicans’ candidate for speaker last week after a tumultuous few days in which Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., the initial speaker-designate last week, was forced to drop out of the race over growing public opposition.
And despite Republicans holding the House majority, it’s not immediately clear if Jordan can win on the first ballot.
"We need to get a speaker tomorrow, the American people deserve to have their Congress, their House of Representatives, working," Jordan told reporters on Monday evening. "I felt good walking into the conference, I feel even better now."
House Republicans met behind closed doors on Monday night, where Jordan made a last appeal to the holdouts against him.
He’ll need a simple majority to win the speaker’s gavel. But with House Republicans’ razor-thin margin and at least one expected absence, he can only lose three GOP votes to still clinch the speakership if all House Democrats are present.
Read more from Fox News' Liz Elkind.
Tue, 17 Oct 2023 06:09:17 -0400
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House Republicans are currently the majority party in the lower chamber. This means that they control the speakership as well as the helms of the House committees.
Currently, the House GOP is working with 221 members in a slim majority that has only shrunk since the Republicans took over the chamber in January.
Utah GOP Rep. Chris Stewart’s departure in September to care for his ill wife reduced the GOP majority to just three seats in a fully stocked House. However, the Democrats are also down a member after Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline’s departure earlier this year.
The House of Representatives covers the proportional representation of America, as opposed to the Senate’s equal representation of two senators for every state.
Each state has a number of House seats allocated to them based on population, the largest being California and the smallest being several states with only one at-large member.
Fox News' Houston Keene contributed to this report.
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