Some Republican legislators want to temporarily give interim Speaker Patrick McHenry additional power.
The House of Representatives is about to enter another day without a speaker, and another day of voting, due to Republican infighting and a failure to collect enough support for Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan – twice.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., said that the next House votes would be held no later than 12:00 p.m. Thursday.
Jordan, R-Ohio, hopes to have a third round vote on the floor for speaker at that time.
“We’re going to keep going,” Jordan’s spokesman said Wednesday to Fox News Digital.
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Jordan’s spokesman reiterated Wednesday night that they intend to proceed to a third round voting.
Republicans selected Jordan to be the next House Speaker, but he needs 217 votes to be confirmed.
On Wednesday, all House Democrats and 22 Republicans voted against Jordan’s bid for speaker. That’s two more Republican members opposing Trump than voted against him on Tuesday. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries received unanimous Democratic support.
Jordan supporters, however, believe that this is not an indication of a failed speaker campaign.
“Don’t lose hope just because [Jordan] loses a few votes on the second ballot.” “I’m committed to voting as many times as we need to get Jim elected as Speaker as long as he puts his name forward,” Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-South Carolina, wrote on X. “If that means we vote all night, then buckle up cause we will vote all night!”
Earlier this week, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa., voiced optimism.
“Just so there are no surprises: Jordan will almost certainly have FEWER votes today than yesterday — as I expected,” Perry wrote on Twitter.
“This is the fight to end the status quo, which Jim Jordan symbolizes, and it ain’t easy…”Remain strong and continue to pray.”
Despite the fact that at least 199 Republican legislators have rallied around Jordan, some are exploring for other options, such as how to elevate Rep. Patrick McHenry, who is now serving as temporary speaker, also known as speaker pro tempore.
Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Pa., chairman of the Republican Governance Group, is pressing for McHenry’s role in leadership to be fleshed out, especially given the urgency for Congress to approve aid for Israel as it confronts terror group Hamas.
The concept is gaining traction among MPs who voted against Jordan. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., who has stated that he will continue to vote for McCarthy on the House floor, told Fox News Digital that he supported the initiative.
“If we don’t get to a speaker in a day or two, I think we need to move forward in getting the House back in business, and so any resolution that would give McHenry more power to do that… I would be in favor of,” he went on to say.
The House of Representatives is in uncharted ground right now — Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s expulsion was the chamber’s first — and it’s unclear whether McHenry’s current responsibilities extend beyond overseeing the election of the next speaker.
While McHenry has stated his disinterest in the position, he is quickly emerging as a likely consensus candidate on whom at least some Democrats may agree.
When asked if McHenry could be a credible contender, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said he was “respected on our side of the aisle.” Jeffries also stated that there were “informal conversations” about reaching an agreement on a Republican speaker, which he hoped would “accelerate” following Jordan’s rough performance.
