Defiant Jim Jordan Defeated For a Third Time For House Speaker

Rep. Jim Jordan suffered a third defeat on the House floor Friday in his quest to become speaker, bringing the Ohio Republican's campaign to a critical crossroads as the House remains paralyzed with no speaker for a 17th day.

Three more Republicans turned against Jordan on the third ballot, bringing his total defections to 25. He lost 20 Republicans on the first floor vote on Tuesday and 22 on the second vote Wednesday.

The House Republican Conference planned to meet again behind closed doors at 1 p.m. to decide the party's next course. The eight Republicans who voted to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker say they have an offer for their colleagues: They will accept sanctions and removal from the conference in exchange for others voting for Jordan.

“If what these holdouts need is a pound of our flesh, we’re willing to give it to them in order to see them elect Jim Jordan for speaker," Gaetz told reporters.

Jordan defier Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart told reporters he wasn't aware of Gaetz's "pound of flesh" offer, and stressed that it wouldn't change anything.

"I'm not here for revenge. I'm here to try and move forward," the Florida Republican told reporters.

The third loss for Jordan comes after he unsuccessfully tried to drum up last-minute support for his campaign at a Friday morning press conference, arguing he was the one to help Republicans govern again.

While plenty of Jordan's supporters are calling for him to keep going, others say it's time for him to end his campaign so the House can settle on a leader.

"If Jim Jordan does not have the votes, then he needs to step aside as the other two have," Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., told reporters Thursday.

The "other two" she referenced are deposed Speaker McCarthy, who opted not to run again after his historic removal, and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who defeated Jordan to win his party's nomination but quickly dropped out after Jordan allies scuttled his election.

Jordan,59, lost more support after moderates and other detractors who opposed his election reported menacing retaliatory tactics, including death threats. The three additional Republicans who voted against him on Friday — Reps. Tom Kean of New Jersey, Marc Molinaro of New York and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania — are moderates who serve in districts that Joe Biden carried in 2020.

Gaetz of Florida, who was responsible for forcing the ouster of McCarthy, defended Jordan after the third failed vote, telling reporters that “Jim Jordan is being unfairly blamed” for “tactics by outside groups” that Jordan has no control over.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez of Florida who has opposed Jordan's bid from the start, said threats of holding votes over the weekend haven't rattled the growing chorus of GOP holdouts. He said some colleagues are leaving town to attend "fundraisers and other commitments," including, he said, a quinceañera party that a Latino colleague has lined up.

"Twenty-five of us aren't leaving," Gimenez said, citing the latest tally of Jordan defiers.

Diaz-Balart said, "We're at a point now where the math is undeniable."

Scalise of Louisiana drew most of the votes from the Jordan defectors in the latest floor vote. Some who voted for McCarthy in prior rounds switched their votes Friday to Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C.

McHenry has been serving as acting speaker, an ornamental role bestowed on him by McCarthy. On Thursday Republicans debated a plan, backed by Jordan, to give McHenry more power as speaker pre tempore to get the House back to legislative business but abandoned it amid a conservative rebellion.

On Friday McCarthy took his turn giving a nominating speech for Jordan, who he has been trying to help win.

"To legislate is about more than the name on the bill," McCarthy said, trying to defend Jordan against critics' claims that he has never passed a bill into law.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) arrives for a House Republican members meeting as the conference continues to debate the race for Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol October 19, 2023 in Washington, DC. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Interrupted by Democrats laughing at the remark, McCarthy went on to talk about Jordan's record pushing bills through the Judiciary Committee he leads. He added that some of the members with a lot of bills under their name "are the most selfish," arguing Jordan is "selfless." That also drew jeers from Democrats.

Jordan's tenure as Judiciary chair has also included aggressive oversight against President Joe Biden and his administration, helping lead an impeachment inquiry into the president that he has vowed to continue if elected speaker. A few of Jordan's defectors have questioned the evidence in that probe.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries Friday morning called Jordan a "clear and present danger to democracy." The New York Democrat appealed to "good" and "reasonable" Republicans to cross the aisle and find a consensus leader who can get the paralyzed chamber working again.

The following are the Republicans who voted against Jordan on Friday, noting who they supported for speaker over Jordan. Bolded names are ones who supported Jordan on the first two ballots but opposed him on the third.

Vern Buchanan of Florida: Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.

Ken Buck of Colorado: House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn.

Anthony D'Esposito of New York: former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y.

Jake Ellzey of Texas: Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Calif.

Andrew Garabino of New York: Zeldin

Tom Kean of New Jersey: McCarthy

Nick LaLota of New York: Zeldin

Mike Lawler of New York: McHenry

Marc Molinaro of New York: Zeldin

Pete Stauber of Minnesota: Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark.