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The New York Times: Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, a “hard-right Republican,” is making a bid for the Speaker of the House role amid Republican turmoil. Jordan, a “favorite of former President Donald J. Trump,” aims to bring unity to a fractured party that recently ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and blocked “the party’s chosen successor, Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana.”
The bid comes after Scalise’s “abrupt withdrawal” from consideration. Scalise had narrowly won an internal party vote but then began “hemorrhaging supporters,” leading to his withdrawal 30 hours later. House Republicans have rejected “several proposals to change their internal rules for selecting a candidate” and are looking to choose a new nominee.
Some mainstream Republicans oppose Jordan’s candidacy, describing it as a “nonstarter,” due to his supporters’ refusal to back Scalise. However, Jordan and his supporters are calling for Republicans to “rally around him.” If Jordan succeeds, he would be “second in line to the presidency,” marking a “remarkable rise” for someone with a “combative style and distaste for compromise.”
Alternative candidates for Speaker include McCarthy, who “did not rule out a return,” and interim Speaker Representative Patrick T. McHenry. The situation remains fluid, with some suggesting the conflict “could drag on for weeks.”
There is growing concern about the party’s unity, as Representative Andy Barr warns, “We cannot allow this dysfunction to prevent us from doing the job of the American people. This is not responsible.”
The entire article can be read at the link https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/13/us/politics/house-speaker-jordan-scalise.html
