Jim Jordan loses first round of voting for new House speaker

October 17, 2023 at 20:43 PM EDT

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, has failed to secure the 217 votes required to make him speaker of the House in the first round of voting. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., failed to get enough support as nominee last week.

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.

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 17:24:28 -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.

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.

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.

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.