A staffer for Rep. Jim Jordan said Thursday that the House would vote on his third quest to become speaker at ten on Friday morning.
A report shows that when Republicans in the House of Representatives abandoned a backup plan to enable the chamber to resume operations in the absence of a speaker, Jordan promised to keep fighting for the speakership.
After hours of negotiating behind closed doors with other Republicans, Jordan, who had lost two votes for Speaker during the week, said that he would proceed with a third vote. Republicans who have opposed him in the past have expressed confidence that he will be defeated on a third try.
But by October 22, Jordan dropped out of the race.
On the fifth ballot, Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) defeated Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) by a vote of 117 to 97 to become the next Republican Speaker nominee of the House. He had a tough time securing the 217 votes he needed on the floor.
One Democrat expressed conditional support for Emmer, the very moderate majority whip.
After it became clear that his candidacy would fail due to a substantial number of Republican holdouts, Emmer withdrew from the campaign for Speaker.
A report revealed that Kevin McCarthy, the former Speaker, was considering having Jim Jordan serve as “Assistant Speaker,” a position that is not defined nor named in the US Constitution.
Two members told a national media outlet that McCarthy was distraught that he could not choose the next speaker.
Three individuals familiar with McCarthy’s proposal said that he is proposing a plan that would reinstate him as the Speaker and appoint Jordan, a hardline Trump ally, as the assistant speaker.
When asked why the proposal was being discussed now, a Republican congressman claimed they were desperate. The proposal lacks essential specifics, such as how it might be implemented and if it could ever acquire enough support to materialize.
According to a report, House Republicans nominated Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) for speaker on Tuesday. Thursday is projected to be the voting day.
