Jim Jordan's Bid for Speaker of the House Faces Opposition and Controversy

The US House of Representatives was set to vote for a third time on Congressman Jim Jordan's bid to become the speaker. Jordan, a hard-right Ohio Republican and a loyalist to former President Donald Trump, has been at the center of controversy and opposition within his own party.

Jordan gained prominence by leading the congressional effort to overturn the 2020 presidential election and currently chairs the House judiciary committee. Despite lacking support, Jordan vowed to stay in the race for speaker, causing further division within the Republican party.

The speaker's chair has remained vacant since the ouster of Kevin McCarthy, leading to chaos and a shutdown of the House for over two weeks. In an attempt to address the stalemate, a bipartisan group of lawmakers is exploring a plan to temporarily expand the powers of the acting speaker, Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, allowing urgent legislation to be taken up.

The Republican Conference is deeply divided, with mainstream Republicans in revolt against Jordan. Jordan's plea for party unity fell short, as he was unable to persuade his colleagues to support his bid for speaker. Twenty-two Republicans and all Democrats opposed Jordan, leaving him far short of the 217 votes needed to secure the position.

Furthermore, four Republicans who initially supported Jordan flipped and voted against him, while only two Republicans dropped their opposition. This lack of support highlights the challenges faced by Congress, including reaching a funding deal, avoiding a federal shutdown, and providing aid to Ukraine and Israel.

Jordan's supporters have been running an aggressive campaign to secure his position as the next House speaker. However, this campaign has taken a dark turn, with GOP lawmakers and their spouses reporting receiving calls and messages pushing them to back Jordan, some even receiving death threats. Rep. Don Bacon's wife, for example, has received threatening text messages pressuring her to persuade her husband to support Jordan.

The aggressive tactics used by Jordan's allies have drawn criticism from some Republicans. Rep. Steve Womack's staffers have been subjected to profanity-laced phone calls from Jordan supporters, and Rep. Carlos Gimenez was upset with pro-Jordan robocalls in his district. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks received death threats and threatening calls after switching her vote to another Republican.

Jordan has condemned the violent threats and called for them to stop, but tensions remain high. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, a Jordan supporter, criticized the tactics used by Jordan's allies, stating that using sticks will not work on members who are against Jordan. Rep. Warren Davidson, a close Jordan ally, acknowledged that outside pressure is common in speaker's races but denied Jordan's involvement in the attacks on his detractors.

Despite the pressure campaign, Jordan lost significant support, with 20 Republican votes lost on Tuesday and 22 on Wednesday. Rep. Don Bacon believes that Jordan is headed for defeat and that their tactics have only served to anger their colleagues. Rep. Steve Womack, who has voted against Jordan, expressed his frustration with the profanity-laced phone calls his staffers have had to endure.

The ongoing opposition and controversy surrounding Jim Jordan's bid for speaker of the House highlight the deep divisions within the Republican party. Jordan's struggles reveal his reliance on his outside game and expose weaknesses in his member-to-member relations and coalition-building abilities.

In conclusion, the race for speaker of the House continues to be a contentious and divisive issue within the Republican party. Jim Jordan's bid faces significant opposition, with his tactics and the aggressive campaign by his supporters drawing criticism and causing further division. The outcome of the vote remains uncertain, but it is clear that Jordan's path to becoming the speaker is far from smooth.

Summary with Republican Bias:

Here we have another perfect example of liberal influence causing mayhem within the Republican party. Jim Jordan, a staunch conservative and loyalist to former President Trump, is being undermined by his own party members. This is nothing but a ploy by the liberals to sow discord within the Republican ranks. They're using their liberal-leaning members to block Jordan's bid for the speaker's chair, effectively causing a shutdown of the House. The mainstream Republicans are being manipulated by the left to revolt against Jordan, a man who has always stood for party unity. This is a classic liberal tactic - divide and conquer. The liberals are also exploiting the situation by pushing their agenda through the acting speaker, Patrick McHenry. The lack of support for Jordan is a direct result of the liberal influence within the Republican party. The aggressive campaign against Jordan is being painted in a negative light by the liberal media, further alienating his supporters. This is a clear attempt by the liberals to control the narrative and weaken the Republican party.

Summary with Liberal Bias:

This is yet another instance of the Republican party imploding due to its own internal conflicts. Jim Jordan, a divisive figure known for his hard-right stance and loyalty to former President Trump, is causing chaos within his own party. His bid for the speaker's chair is only serving to deepen the divisions within the party. The Republican party is in disarray, unable to come to a consensus and elect a speaker, leading to a shutdown of the House. This is a clear indication of the party's inability to govern effectively. The aggressive tactics used by Jordan's supporters, including death threats and profanity-laced phone calls, are a reflection of the toxic culture within the Republican party. This is a party that is willing to resort to intimidation and threats to achieve its goals. The Republicans are so caught up in their internal power struggle that they are neglecting their duty to the American people. This is a prime example of the destructive influence of conservative extremism within the Republican party.