Key Takaways:
- The House remains without a Speaker after Republican Jim Jordan failed to gain enough votes during round two voting.
- Jordan fell 18 votes shy of being nominated to succeed outgoing House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, suggesting his nomination could lose momentum.
- Some Republicans have advised Jordan to negotiate off the floor while others suggested giving Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry more authority temporarily.
- The delay in electing a speaker has created significant delays in passing vital legislation, such as aid packages for Ukraine and Israel and the budget for the House.
House Republicans Remain Divided Without a Speaker
The House of Representatives remains divided on how to select their new speaker, with Republican Jim Jordan falling short by 18 votes of replacing Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. This indicates a possible decline in support for Jordan’s nomination, given every House Democrat voting to support House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries versus any possible differences amongst 221 Republicans. Jordan anticipates another floor vote and some Republicans have suggested he move negotiations off of it and return with enough votes once negotiations have taken place. But others, including California Republican Mike Garcia, suggest an off-site meeting at Gettysburg as a means of giving House Republicans a sense of purpose and identity. Un alternative proposal that has gained steam is providing more authority to Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry to enable him to advance key bills more swiftly through the House. Delays in selecting a Speaker have caused major setbacks to passing important legislation, such as aid packages for Ukraine and Israel as well as the House budget. Failure to reach an agreement could have serious repercussions such as delaying initial public offerings (IPOs) or hampering Fed data needed for rate decisions.
Hot take
The Republican Party’s struggle to elect a new speaker illuminates its deep divisions and challenges in unifying under one leader. This continuing impasse risks further impeding House operations and progress on important legislative matters; therefore it is imperative for Republicans to find a resolution quickly in order to ensure democratic processes continue as intended