Name: Jim Jordan cracks open door to becoming House Speaker
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Jim Jordan cracks open door to becoming House Speaker

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Skip to ArticleWASHINGTON – Ohio’s Jim Jordan is leaving the door open for a possible ascension to House Speaker just hours after a group of Republicans led by Florida’s Matt Gaetz successfully orchestrated the ouster of Kevin McCarthy.Jordan, an ally to McCarthy who defended him Tuesday on the House floor, demurred earlier this year when his name was tossed into the ring as a candidate during a contentious speaker fight that ultimately handed McCarthy the gavel for less than a year.But after McCarthy was forced to vacate the post on Tuesday by a vote called by Gaetz and backed by seven other Republicans along with House Democrats, Jordan’s name has come up again as a potential successor.“That will be a decision for the conference,” said Russell Dye, a spokesman for the Champaign County Republican and chairman of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, when asked whether Jordan was interested in the job.Read more: Ohio Republicans back Kevin McCarthy as Matt Gaetz forces out House SpeakerThat represents a shift from Jordan’s prior posture. He told Bloomberg on Monday that he wants to stay in his current job, where he is overseeing several investigations and would have a prominent role in a Republican-backed impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, and that he wouldn’t accept the speaker’s job.Jordan told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Tuesday evening that several colleagues have approached him about the speakership. He said he’ll talk to the House Republican Conference about the job over the next week.“I think it’s a conference decision,” Jordan said. “I think Steve (House Republican Leader Steve Scalise) would also be a great speaker. I think Steve has given so much for our country. He’s done an outstanding job as majority leader.”Politically, Jordan sits at the intersection of the far right of the Republican conference and the mainstream establishment of the GOP. He co-founded the conservative Freedom Caucus and has said he considers Gaetz a friend, but he also has been a public supporter of McCarthy as speaker.“(McCarthy) has kept his word.” Jordan said on the House of Representatives floor. “I think we should keep him as speaker.”Jordan and the rest of Ohio’s Republican delegation in Congress voted to keep McCarthy as speaker on Tuesday. McCarthy said after the vote that he would not seek the post again, leaving a leadership vacuum that is likely to consume the House until it’s resolved.The call to vacate McCarthy as speaker came after the California Republican worked with Democrats last weekend to pass a stopgap funding measure to keep the federal government open. Gaetz, who has been at war with McCarthy, made the call because of McCarthy’s work across the aisle.Jordan made a short-lived bid for House Speaker in 2018, when colleagues, including Gaetz, spoke at a rally to support his candidacy. On Tuesday, Kentucky GOP Rep. Thomas Massie posted on social media that he supports Jordan as the next speaker.Others cited as potential successors to McCarthy include Scalise of Louisiana, GOP Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik of New York.When reporters asked Gaetz on Monday who he’d support for speaker instead of McCarthy, Gaetz cited Scalise.“I think very highly of Steve Scalise, I would vote for Steve Scalise,” Gaetz said. “I would probably vote for at least 100 Republicans in our caucus and maybe 100 other Americans out there who wouldn’t necessarily need to be a member of the body to be considered for the speakership.”Sabrina Eaton writes about the federal government and politics in Washington, D.C., for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer..If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.

Skip to ArticleWASHINGTON – Ohio’s Jim Jordan is leaving the door open for a possible ascension to House Speaker just hours after a group of Republicans led by Florida’s Matt Gaetz successfully orchestrated the ouster of Kevin McCarthy.Jordan, an ally to McCarthy who defended him Tuesday on the House floor, demurred earlier this year when his name was tossed into the ring as a candidate during a contentious speaker fight that ultimately handed McCarthy the gavel for less than a year.But after McCarthy was forced to vacate the post on Tuesday by a vote called by Gaetz and backed by seven...

Jim Jordan cracks open door to becoming House Speaker

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