By David Morgan and Katharine Jackson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives is poised for a third vote to fill its vacant speaker’s chair on Friday, yet the Republican-controlled chamber remains divided, prolonging a leadership battle that has paralyzed the House for over two weeks.
Outspoken conservative Jim Jordan, who has made two unsuccessful attempts this week, is expected to try again when the House convenes at 10:00 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) on Friday.
However, his opponents predict that he will face an even tougher challenge this time around.
The infighting among Republicans has prevented Congress from taking action on President ‘s appeal for aid to Ukraine and Israel.
The narrow and fractured Republican majority has been unable to rally behind Jordan or any other candidate to replace ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy, despite numerous efforts. Furthermore, they have failed to agree on an alternative plan that would enable the House to address legislative matters.
Jordan fell short of the 217 votes required to secure the speaker’s position in the previous votes held on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Thursday, he held private meetings with some of the 22 Republicans who have voted against him.
However, these holdouts, some of whom have received death threats, remain unmoved in their opposition.
“We all informed him that we unequivocally oppose his candidacy. That was the gist of the discussion. Now, it’s up to him to make a decision,” remarked Republican Representative Vern Buchanan to reporters following the meeting.
Republicans currently maintain a 221-212 majority in the House, and Jordan has yet to secure more than 200 votes thus far.
If Jordan fails for a third time, it could lead to him dropping out, making way for other potential candidates. However, whether Republicans can unite behind any of these candidates remains uncertain.
Republicans also remain divided on a backup plan that could allow the House to address urgent matters, such as Biden’s aid package and spending legislation necessary to prevent a government shutdown past the November 17 deadline.
This contingency plan would grant more authority to Republican Representative Patrick McHenry, who is temporarily occupying the speaker’s chair. While House Democrats and the White House have expressed openness to this idea, Republicans rejected it during a closed-door meeting on Thursday.
This impasse has underscored the deep divisions between Republicans seeking to work within the Washington political system and a hard-right faction that has brought the U.S. government to the brink of default and shutdown.
Furthermore, investors have cited the Capitol Hill turmoil as contributing to market volatility.
“People are genuinely trying to figure out how to come together amid the self-inflicted wounds caused by this body,” said Republican Representative Kat Cammack.
Jordan has built a reputation as a leader of the uncompromising right wing. His supporters argue that this would make him an effective champion for conservative policies in a Washington where Democrats control the Senate and White House.
A staunch ally of Donald Trump, Jordan played a significant role in the former president’s attempts to overturn Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, as revealed by a congressional investigation. He was instrumental in the government shutdowns of 2013 and 2018, and he played a key part in the retirement of Republican Speaker John Boehner in 2015.
As the chair of the Judiciary Committee, Jordan is leading an impeachment inquiry into Biden, although no evidence of wrongdoing by the president has been found thus far.
(Reporting by David Morgan, Katharine Jackson and Moira Warburton, writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Scott Malone and Grant McCool)
