It is expected that Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan will announce that he will not seek a third ballot in the speaker race and will instead support a plan to let Acting Speaker Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) run the House temporarily.
A source with knowledge reportedly told Politico that the proposal to empower McHenry, who didn’t seek the speakership, was crafted by moderates who were against Jordan becoming speaker.
“Jordan’s decision came as House Republicans gathered for a closed-door member meeting with his allies attempting to rescue a sputtering effort that lost — rather than gained — votes on Wednesday. His embrace of a vote on the proposal to empower McHenry isn’t entirely surprising, since he indicated as much on Wednesday,” Politico reported.
The outlet added: “But Jordan is still not indicating where his latest maneuver will leave his flailing speakership bid, since temporarily boosting McHenry doesn’t fully solve the House GOP’s broader speakership chaos. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-Ohio), author of the plan to empower McHenry until Jan. 3. Joyce added that he hopes to see a majority of House Republicans support his idea. Democrats are also expected to back it in significant numbers in a bid to reopen the shuttered chamber, though party leaders have not decided whether to formally whip the vote.”
