Jordan Nixes 3rd Speaker Vote, Will Support McHenry As Interim Until January

After suffering defeat twice, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) will not hold a third vote for speaker, and will instead back Patrick McHenry (R-NC) as interim speaker until January.

This, after Jordan met with former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), McHenry, Cole (R-OK), and Emmer (R-MN) to discuss options, Punchbowl News reports.

NEWS — JIM JORDAN will not hold a third ballot for speaker. He will back PATRICK MCHENRY as an interim speaker until JANUARY.

MCCARTHY, MCHENRY, JORDAN, COLE and EMMER met this morning

We reported this this AM in @PunchbowlNews AM.

CONFERENCE STARTING NOW.

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 19, 2023

After the first two rounds, a group of Republicans made it clear that Jordan wouldn’t enjoy enough support to win the speaker’s gavel. With House functions at a standstill – including dealing with a looming shutdown after the 6-week band-aid expires mid-November, lawmakers can now move forward with a proposal to expand McHenry’s powers. Punchbowl also notes that there’s “essentially no difference between a speaker and a speaker pro tem.”

“There is a question whether a speaker pro tem would be in the presidential line of succession. There are also questions about whether he could take part in other speaker functions that have evolved over the years — Gang of Eight intelligence briefings, for instance.”

Jordan will remain the speaker designee, and will maintain the option to hold a speaker vote at any time.

According to Bloomberg, senior Democrats are supportive of the plan.

As Axios notes, McHenry, 47, will essentially have the same power as an elected speaker. More:

• McHenry got two ironic endorsements late yesterday: former GOP speakers Newt Gingrich and John Boehner. Both were run out of office — just like Rep. Kevin McCarthy was a few weeks ago.

Driving the news: Rep. Dave Joyce (R-Ohio) plans to introduce a measure on Wednesday that would temporarily empower McHenry to oversee the passage of legislation, Axios’ Andrew Solender reports.

• The plan would be to introduce it if Jordan fails another House floor vote — and it would require McHenry to cooperate by recognizing Joyce on the House floor.

And so, Jordan is off the hook – for now.