Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

House speaker live updates | Jim Jordan set to try again

Bipartisan groups of lawmakers have been floating ways to operate the House by giving greater power to the interim speaker, Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, or another temporary speaker

Via AP news wire
Wednesday 18 October 2023 08:02 EDT

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The House plans to return for a second round of balloting for House speaker on Wednesday morning as Jim Jordan fights to win over his many holdouts for the job to replace the ousted Kevin McCarthy.

Jordan lost 20 Republican votes Tuesday and pleaded afterward to his colleagues that they "must stop attacking each other and come together.”

What to know

Jim Jordan’s rapid rise has been cheered by Trump and the far right

How the vote for a new speaker works

Scalise ends bid to become speaker as holdouts refuse to back him

McCarthy was an early architect of the GOP majority that became his downfall

Two unlikely sources float plan for interim deal

Bipartisan groups of lawmakers have been floating ways to operate the House by giving greater power to the interim speaker, Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, or another temporary speaker. The House had never ousted its speaker before Kevin McCarthy, and the lawmakers are in rarely tested terrain.

Two former Republican House speakers, Newt Gingrich and John Boehner, have come out in support of the idea.

Gingrich said that while he likes Jordan, he has “no faith” the nominee can get much beyond the 200 votes he won in the first vote.

“We can’t sit around and suck our thumbs and hope the world will wait until the House Republicans get their act together,” Gingrich told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on his show.

Boehner reposted Gingrich’s views on social media, adding, “I agree.”

The two men have deep experience with the subject. Both were chased to early retirement by threats of ouster from right-flank insurgents like those who toppled McCarthy.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in