Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan (R) has spent the last three days trying to secure enough votes from former supporters of Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise, so that he can win a vote on the House floor, scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 17, over House Minority Leader Democrat Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). At the time of Jordan’s Oct. 13 nomination by a Republican conference, 55 members indicated that they were not ready to vote for their party’s nomination on the House floor. More than a few were unhappy that Scalise had been denied the 217 Republican votes needed to win, and had withdrawn a day after being nominated.
As things stand, it appears likely that the House may go through an extended public brawl, reminiscent of last January’s four-day fight that brought Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to the Speaker’s chair. On yesterday’s Fox News “Sunday Morning Futures,” McCarthy said: “I talked to Jim last night. He’s talking to every single member, assessing what their challenges are.” McCarthy added later, “I think Jim Jordan can get the votes.”
