The U.S. House of Representatives failed to elect House Speaker in the first round of voting Tuesday afternoon because more Republicans than expected cast votes for people other than GOP House Speaker-designate Jim Jordan of Ohio.
The 432 members of the House – missing only Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), who was out of town to attend a family funeral – gathered in their chamber to address the issue of selecting a Speaker to fill the vacancy created by the ouster of Kevin McCarthy (Calif. ), removed by a motion to vacate office by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).
In the final vote – in which Jordan needed at least 217 votes to secure the gavel – Jordan won just 200 votes, 17 shy of the magic number. Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) received 212 votes, while 20 Republican House members voted for others.
The Chairman announced the results of the manual roll-call vote for the Speaker of the House:@RepJeffries– 212
@Jim_Jordan– 200
@SpeakerMcCarthy– 6
@LeeMZeldin– 3
@SteveScalise– 7@RepMikeGarcia – 1@GOPMjorityWhip – 1
@TomColeOK04 – 1
@RepThomasMassie – 1— House Press Gallery (@HouseDailyPress) October 17, 2023
Republicans shirking leadership and voting for people other than Jordan are:
- Rep. Bacon, who voted for former Speaker McCarthy
- Rep. Buck, who voted for Rep. Tom Emmer
- Rep. Chavez-DeRemer, who voted for McCarthy
- Rep. D’Esposito, who voted for former Rep. Lee Zeldin
- Rep. Diaz-Balart, who voted for Rep. Steve Scalise
- Rep. Ellzey, who voted for Rep. Mike Garcia
- Rep. Garbarino, who voted for Zeldin
- Rep. Gimenez, who voted for McCarthy
- Rep. Gonzalez, who voted for Scalise
- Rep. Granger, who voted for Scalise
- Rep. James, who voted for Rep. Tom Cole
- Rep. Kelly, who voted for Scalise
- Rep. Kiggans, who voted for McCarthy
- Rep. LaLota, who voted for Zeldin
- Rep. LaMalfa, who voted for McCarthy
- Rep. Lawler, who voted for McCarthy
- Rep. Rutherford, who voted for Scalise
- Rep. Simpson, who voted for Scalise
- Rep. Spartz, who voted for MP Thomas Massie
- Rep. Womack, who voted for Scalise
Before Tuesday’s vote, Jordan’s allies suggested that his opponents would concede before the House voted on the vote, which did not happen. The preliminary opposition tally also showed that far fewer Republicans chose to oppose Jordan by casting their votes for other people than ultimately did in the first round.
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) has nominated Republican Jim Jordan of Ohio as “America’s chairman for a time like this,” describing the Judiciary Committee chairman as a “mentor, a worker, and above all a warrior” and “a winner on behalf of the American people.”
.@Jim_Jordan it is the voice of Americans who have felt voiceless for too long.
He is a mentor, an employee and, above all, a warrior.
And Americans know that Jim Jordan IS THE WINNER. pic.twitter.com/A9GtTPhV5f
– Representative. Elise Stefanik (@RepStefanik) October 17, 2023
On the other side of the aisle, Democrats nominated their leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
Patrick McHenry (R-NC) presided over the vote and appointed Representatives Bryan Steil (R-WI), Joe Morelle (D-NY), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), and Terri Sewell (D-AL). as cashiers.
Now, as it did in January at the beginning of the current Congress, the House must restart the process of nominating speaker candidates and go through a full roll call vote until Jordan – or someone else – wins majority support.
Following the failed attempt to elect a chairman, the House adjourned the session on the condition that the chairman be summoned.
The chamber adjourns at the call of the chairman
— Republican Cloakroom (@RepCloakroom) October 17, 2023
This is a developing story and may be updated.
