Despite facing staunch opposition from fellow Republicans, Jim Jordan remains determined to become the Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
Another vote for Speaker has been scheduled for 10:00 EST (14:00 GMT).
During a news conference on Friday, the Ohio congressman emphasized the need to elect a speaker quickly in order to serve the American people.
Initially, Mr. Jordan had expressed support for the plan allowing acting Speaker Patrick McHenry to run the House, but this proposal was rejected by Republicans.
For the past 16 days, the House has been without a leader, leaving it incapable of passing bills or approving crucial aids to Israel and Ukraine which have already been requested by the White House.
Mr. Jordan highlighted the importance of aid to Israel as one of the main reasons for electing a speaker promptly.
Confident in his support, he stated, “I’ve got 200 votes. I know we can do this,” adding his belief that he could gain some of the lost votes.
Although Mr. Jordan has failed to secure more than 200 votes in recent roll calls, he still needs 217, a majority in the chamber, to win the position of Speaker.
Criticism has been directed towards Mr. Jordan for employing intimidation tactics and his supporters have even made death threats against lawmakers.
Ken Buck of Colorado, who staunchly opposes Mr. Jordan’s nomination, predicts that Republican defections may increase from the current 22 to 30 or 40.
In an attempt to end the impasse, Mr. Jordan had informed his colleagues that he would no longer hold any more votes and instead offered support for a proposal that would allow Mr. McHenry to carry out the House’s business for an extended period of time.
Mr. McHenry, who was appointed as interim Speaker, believes that his authority is limited and in accordance with succession procedures implemented after the 9/11 terror attacks.
However, legal experts argue that if the majority of the chamber supports expanding his authority, the House can function as usual.
Both parties, including two former Republican Speakers, have suggested extending Mr. McHenry’s powers until January to enable him to handle urgent legislative matters.
Republicans who support this option argue that the House must proceed with its business rather than prolong internal divisions.
Jim Banks, a conservative Indiana lawmaker, predicts that half of the party will vote against the measure, considering it a betrayal of Republican voters.
Others, like New York Republican Elise Stefanik, argue that electing Mr. McHenry despite internal opposition would result in a “Democrat-backed coalition government”.
Democrats have not indicated if they will support Mr. McHenry as Speaker, although some have expressed openness to the idea due to the prolonged absence of a Speaker.
With Mr. Jordan pursuing a third Speaker vote, Democrats will likely vote unanimously for their own leader, Hakeem Jeffries, as they have done in previous votes.
As no alternatives to Mr. Jordan or Mr. Jeffries have emerged, the House’s leadership crisis shows no signs of resolution.
