Rep. Jim Jordan's attempt to get almost unanimous backing from GOP lawmakers to elect him House speaker looks set to fail, despite a reported "pressure" campaign from the Ohio congressman.
On Tuesday, the House will vote on a new speaker following Kevin McCarthy's historic ousting, with the GOP nominating Jordan for the position after the previous Republican candidate, rep. Steve Scalise, dropped out the race when it became clear he didn't have enough support from the party to achieve a 217-vote majority.
However, just like his predecessor, it seems like Jordan may also fail to get enough support from House Republicans in Tuesday's vote, with several lawmakers already coming out and saying that they won't back him for the role.
Due to the GOP's narrow 221-212 majority in the lower chamber, Jordan can't afford to lose the support of just five House Republicans if he is to be elected speaker, presuming he gets no votes from the Democrats. Following his nomination on October 13, a second secret ballot was held, which revealed that 55 GOP lawmakers didn't back the Ohio congressman's bid for the position.
Jordan spent the past few days trying to get the GOP to show a united front and support him for House speaker so the lower chamber can resume work amid Israel's war on Hamas and a looming partial government shutdown.
On Monday, Florida rep. Mario Diaz-Balart said he wasn't going to vote for Jordan, and instead would back Scalise, while hitting out at the apparent tactics from Jordan's team to persuade lawmakers to vote for him.
"If anybody's trying to get my vote, the last thing you want to do is try to intimidate or pressure me because then I close out entirely," Diaz-Balart told reporters at the Capitol.
Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz also said she was against Jordan's strong-arm tactics and forcing a vote for House speaker despite him not having the clear backing of the party.
"I truly believe these intimidation techniques...are not acceptable," Spartz said, via Roll Call. "I didn't like what Kevin [McCarthy] did last time. And I hope Jim [Jordan] is going to change his views on that."
Jordan's office has been contacted for comment via email.
It was recently reported that some of Jordan's allies had been trying to intimidate GOP lawmakers not backing the Ohio congressman's bid for House speaker. Jordan has been endorsed for the position by former president Donald Trump.
On Monday night, Fox News' Sean Hannity defended himself after it was found that his team had been emailing House Republicans who aren't supporting Jordan to ask their reasons why, while outlining the need to urgently fill the position.
Axios reporter Juliegrace Brufke shared the reported email on X, formerly Twitter, while adding that some moderate Republicans are "growing increasingly irritated" with allies of Jordan trying to "pressure them" into voting for him.
"I offer no apologies for doing my job and seeking answers from those elected public servants," Hannity said during his Fox News show on Monday.
Elsewhere, several other House Republicans have publicly stated they won't be supporting Jordan in Tuesday's vote
Colorado's Ken Buck said he's in the "no" camp with regards to supporting Jordan, while citing how the Ohio congressman was one of 147 House Republicans who voted to overturn the 2020 election results.
Florida Republican rep. Carlos Gimenez, rep. John Rutherford and New York's Mike Lawler have said they are planning on voting for McCarthy to return as House speaker.
However, Jordan does appear to have persuaded some GOP lawmakers to put aside their differences and back him for the role.
"Do Jim Jordan and I agree on everything? Of course not," New York rep. Marcus Molinaro posted on X. "But, he has assured me that my voice and the concerns of those I serve in Upstate New York will be heard. I will vote for Jim Jordan."
Alabama rep. Robert Aderholt, who previously supported Scalise for the role, posted the day before the vote: "I told Jim Jordan on Friday that I fully support him to be the 56th Speaker of the House."
