Jim Jordan pauses, then restarts bid for US House speaker after 2 failed votes

The conservative lawmaker vowed to push on after his fellow Republicans abandoned a backup plan to extend Patrick McHenry’s authority as acting speaker

The House leadership vacuum is preventing Congress from getting back to work as a US shutdown looms and Biden prepares to ask for Israel and Ukraine aid

Reading Time:2 minutes

US congressman Jim Jordan arrives for a Republican caucus meeting at the Capitol on Thursday. Photo: AP

Published: 12:40am, 20 Oct 2023Updated: 7:41am, 20 Oct 2023

Hardline conservative Jim Jordan vowed to continue his floundering bid for speaker of the US House of Representatives on Thursday, after his fellow Republicans abandoned a backup plan to allow the leaderless chamber to resume business.

Jordan, who has lost two votes for speaker this week, emerged from an hours-long closed door meeting with fellow Republicans to say he would press ahead with a third vote.

“I’m still running for speaker and I plan to go to the floor and get the votes and win this race,” Jordan told reporters.

The House will hold a third speaker vote when it opens for business at 10am on Friday, his spokesman Russell Dye said.

US Speaker of the House Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry is pursued by reporters in Washington after it was reported that there would not be further votes over congressman Jim Jordan’s speaker candidacy on Thursday. Photo: Reuters

According to lawmakers in the room, Jordan had earlier said he would pause his speaker bid and called on them to extend the authority of congressman Patrick McHenry. McHenry has been acting speaker since October 3, when a small group of party members ousted Kevin McCarthy.