It’s difficult to persuade fiscal conservatives to vote for you when you’ve promised to fund the war in Middle East and your predecessor lost his position because he wanted to fund the war in Eastern Europe!
EXPECTED BUT NOT LESS DISAPPOINTING: On Wednesday, October 18th, in a second round of voting, Republican Rep. Jim Jordan once again failed to secure the position of House Speaker, performing worse than in the previous round. The number of House Republicans opposing Jordan increased from 20 to 22, making it challenging for him to secure the position. This outcome raises concerns about his prospects and the growing opposition he faces, leaving the House in a state of gridlock. Despite his defeat, Jordan has vowed to persist, and a third speaker vote is scheduled for today.
The absence of a Speaker has left the House in a precarious situation amid international conflicts and the looming threat of a government shutdown on November 16th. Media such as CNN attribute this problem to former President Donald Trump’s divisive influence in the GOP. The truth is a lot of GOP lawmakers are not happy about Jordan’s statement that Israel and Ukraine will receive American funding for their respective wars.
With pressure mounting to resolve the leadership crisis, there are calls to enhance the powers of the interim speaker, GOP Rep. Patrick McHenry, but this proposal has generated further controversy among Republicans in the Senate.
