Republican Rep. Jim Jordan failed again Wednesday on a crucial second ballot to become House speaker, but the hard-fighting ally of Donald Trump showed no signs of dropping out despite losing support from even more of his GOP colleagues.
Next steps were highly uncertain as angry, frustrated Republicans looked at other options. A bipartisan group of lawmakers floated an extraordinary plan — to give the interim speaker pro tempore, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., more power to reopen the immobilized House and temporarily conduct routine business. But that seems doubtful, for now.
What was clear was that Jordan’s path to become House speaker was almost certainly lost. He was opposed by 22 Republicans, two more than he lost in first-round voting the day before. Many view the Ohio congressman as too extreme for a central seat of U.S. power and resented the harassing hardball tactics from Jordan’s allies for their votes. One lawmaker said they had received death threats.
That’s your fault. I openly acknowledge the numerous atrocities the US has fomented around the world in the last 100 years. But when the alternatives are Russia and China you have to be reasonable about your choices. Having no leadership in the largest economic government in the world only benefits those who deal in chaos. Trust me, you don’t want chaos.
I didn’t realize it was my fault personally. I’ve got a LOT of apologies to make!
Oh, and thanks for the reminder that government chaos is a bad thing. I always forget that.