Politics

Jim Jordan Fails To Receive Enough Votes For Speaker Of The House In First Round Of Votes

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Henry Rodgers Chief National Correspondent
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House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan failed to receive enough votes Tuesday to become the next Speaker of the House during the first round of votes.

After the first rounds of votes, Jordan was shy of the necessary 217 votes to win the Speakership. The final quorum call put the House attendance at 432, meaning 217 remains the majority threshold unless members voted “present” during the roll call vote for speaker.

New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik gave Jordan’s nomination speech on the House floor before the votes.

Ahead of the vote, Jordan told reporters he was “feeling good.”

Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy announced Monday that he would endorse Jordan to become the next Speaker. Many other Republicans followed after McCarthy’s endorsement.

Twenty Republicans ended up voting against Jordan during the first round.

Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon was the first House Republican to vote against Jordan, placing his vote for McCarthy. Colorado Rep. Ken Buck did not respond when his name was called in the first calling of the roll in the first round of the Speaker election and ended up voting for Majority Whip Tom Emmer. Oregon Rep. Lori Michelle Chavez-DeRemer was the second no-vote against Jordan, also voting for McCarthy.

Texas Rep. Jake Ellzey was the third no vote for Jordan, placing his vote for California Rep. Mike Garcia. New York Rep. Anthony D’Esposito was the fourth no vote for Jordan, voting for former New York GOP Governor nominee Lee Zeldin. New York Rep. Andrew Garbarino also voted for Zeldin. Florida Rep. Carlos Gimenez ended up voting for McCarthy. Texas Rep. Kay Granger voted for Scalise, as did Texas Rep. Tony Gonzalez.

Pennsylvania Rep. Mike Kelley voted for Scalise. Virginia Rep. Jen Kiggans was the eleventh Republican to vote against Jordan, voting for McCarthy. New York Rep. Mike Lawler ended up voting for McCarthy as well.

New York Rep. Nick LaLota placed his vote against Jordan, voting for Zeldin. Florida Rep. John Rutherford also voted against Jordan, placing his vote for Scalise. Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson also voted for Scalise.

Arkansas Rep. Steve Womack voted for Scalise as well.

Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz voted for Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie. California Rep. Doug LaMalfa voted for McCarthy. Michigan Rep. John James ended up voting for Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole.

Florida Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart voted for Scalise. (RELATED: Here Are The 20 Republicans Who Voted Against Jim Jordan For Speaker In First Ballot Vote)

The House went into recess after the vote, as Republicans will now have to figure out how to get to 217 votes.

TOPSHOT – US Republican Representative from California Kevin McCarthy (R) speaks with Republican Representative from Ohio Jim Jordan as the US House of Representatives continues voting for new speaker at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 4, 2023. (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)

As of Tuesday morning, there were at least eleven House Republicans who had not committed to voting for Jordan.

Conservative donors told the Daily Caller on Monday night that they are pledging to withhold funding from Republican House members who refuse to support Jordan for Speaker. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Conservative Donors Pledge To Withhold Funding From GOP Members Who Vote Against Jim Jordan For Speaker)

Both House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Jordan said they were running for House speaker just one day after McCarthy was ousted on Oct. 3. After losing the speakership, McCarthy said he is leaving the position “with a sense of pride [and] accomplishment.” He later dismissed rumors that he planned to resign from Congress and announced his intention to seek another term. (RELATED: Kevin McCarthy Endorses Jim Jordan For Speaker Of The House)

The U.S. House voted to remove McCarthy as speaker after Democrats joined with eight House Republicans to vote for a motion to vacate the chair.

Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz filed the motion, which gained support from Democrats after McCarthy refused to make concessions in return for their votes.