Republicans unable to elect Speaker, pro-peace protesters gather near US Capitol

Washington: Republican Representative Jim Jordan failed again on Wednesday in a crucial second ballot to become House Speaker, after the hard-fighting ally of Donald Trump lost the support of even more GOP colleagues.

Frustrated Republicans, who have been without a Speaker for 15 days – a position of power second in line to the presidency after the vie president – are now being forced to consider other options.

Losing another vote for Speaker: Jim Jordan.Credit: AP

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has floated an extraordinary plan — to give the interim Speaker, Representative Patrick McHenry, more power to reopen the immobilised House and temporarily conduct routine business.

Jordan’s bid to become House Speaker was opposed by 22 Republicans, two more than in the first round of voting the day before. No further votes were scheduled.

“We’ll keep talking to members, keep working on it,” Jordan, a founding member of the hard-right Freedom Caucus, said after the vote.

The House is at another abrupt standstill since the sudden dismissal of Kevin McCarthy. Once a formality in Congress, the vote for House Speaker has devolved into another bitter GOP showdown for the gavel.

US Capitol Police officers detain a demonstrator protesting inside the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington.Credit: AP

As Republicans, upset and exhausted by the infighting, retreated for private conversations, hundreds of Jewish peace activists rallied in Washington. They called on the Biden administration and Congress to press for a ceasefire, a stark reminder of the concern over having the House adrift as political challenges intensify at home and abroad.

Some 200 demonstrators, many from the group Jewish Voice for Peace, filled the rotunda of the Cannon House Office Building near the US Capitol, chanting, “The world is watching”. They wore black T-shirts emblazoned with the messages, “Jews say cease fire now” and “Not in our name”.

The US Capitol Police said its officers began arresting protesters who refused to comply with orders to disperse. Some 500 other protesters blocked off Independence Avenue outside.

Ahead of Wednesday’s vote, Jordan, the combative Judiciary Committee chairman, made an unusual plea for party unity — almost daring his colleagues to put forward the alternative proposal for a temporary Speaker.

Demonstrators sit inside the Canon House office building calling on Congress for an immediate ceasefire and for humanitarian assistance to be allowed to enter Gaza, during a rally on Capitol Hill.Credit: AP

“We’ve been at this two weeks,” Jordan said at the Capitol. “American people deserve to have their government functioning.”

But as the rollcall got underway, he lost more than he gained, picking up three backers but adding more detractors.

The holdouts added to a surprisingly large and politically diverse group of 20 Republicans who had rejected Jordan’s nomination the day before, many resenting the hardball tactics seeking to enforce support, and viewing the Ohio congressman as too extreme for a central seat of US power.

With Republicans in majority control of the House, 221-212, Jordan needed to pick up most of his GOP foes to win. Wednesday’s final tally showed 199 Republicans voting for Jordan, 212 votes for Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, and 22 Republicans voting for someone else.

One new Jordan opponent, Vern Buchanan of Florida, explained his vote, “I think it’s time to move on.”

The novel concept of boosting the interim Speaker’s role appeared to be gaining favour with a pair of high-profile Republicans: former GOP Speakers Newt Gingrich and John Boehner.

Gingrich said while he liked Jordan, he had “no faith” the nominee could get much beyond the 200 votes he won in the first vote.

“We can’t sit around and suck our thumbs and hope the world will wait until the House Republicans get their act together,” Gingrich told Fox News’ Sean Hannity on his show.

Boehner reposted Gingrich’s views saying, “I agree,” on social media.

The two men have deep experience with the subject. Both were chased to early retirement.

“The Republicans are unable to function right now,” Jeffries said late on Tuesday. “All options are on the table to end the Republican civil war,” he added on Wednesday.

Flexing their independence, the holdouts are a mix of pragmatists — ranging from seasoned legislators and committee chairs worried about governing, to newer lawmakers from districts where voters back home prefer President Joe Biden to Trump.

They cast their ballots for McCarthy, Majority Leader Steve Scalise — who had been the party’s first nominee to replace McCarthy — and others, one vote even going to the retired Boehner.

“Jim Jordan will be a great Speaker,” Trump had said on Tuesday said outside a courthouse in Manhattan, where he is facing business fraud charges. “I think he’s going to have the votes soon, if not today, over the next day or two.”

Jordan has been a top Trump ally, particularly during the January 6 Capitol attack by the former president’s backers who were trying to overturn the 2020 election he lost to Biden. Days later, Trump awarded Jordan a Medal of Freedom.

The political climb has been steep for Jordan who is known more as a chaos agent than a skilled legislator, raising questions about how he would lead. Congress faces daunting challenges, risking a federal shutdown at home if it fails to fund the government and fielding Biden’s requests for aid to help Ukraine and Israel in the wars abroad.

First elected in 2006, Jordan has few bills to his name from his time in office. He also faces questions about his past. Some years ago, Jordan denied allegations from former wrestlers during his time as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University who accused him of knowing about claims they were inappropriately groped by an Ohio doctor. Jordan has said he was never aware of any abuse.

AP, Reuters

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