Jim Jordan encounters rigid antagonism in House Speaker bid

(MENAFN) Republican Congressman Jim Jordan's bid for the role of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives faced unexpected resistance from members of his own party, resulting in a failed initial vote. Despite intensive lobbying, 20 Republicans withheld their votes for the right-wing Ohio representative. As a result, Jordan fell short of the 217 votes needed to secure the Speaker's position.

The absence of a House Speaker has created a legislative deadlock, preventing the passage of bills and the approval of White House requests, including potential aid for Israel during its conflict with Hamas. Jordan, a close ally of former President Trump, earned 200 votes in the first ballot. In contrast, the Democratic nominee, Hakeem Jeffries of New York, garnered 212 votes, but Democrats are the minority party in the House.

With Republicans holding a narrow majority of 221-212 in the chamber, Jordan can only afford to lose four votes from his own party. Jordan expressed determination to continue his efforts, stating, "We're making progress. I feel good about it. We're gonna keep going." Initially, a second vote was planned for Tuesday, but it was later rescheduled for Wednesday at 11:00 (15:00 GMT).

The position of House Speaker remains vacant since the ousting of Kevin McCarthy two weeks ago amid a right-wing revolt.

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