With 22 of his fellow Republican House members voting Wednesday for someone other than Rep. Jim Jordan for speaker, signs are growing that the Ohio lawmaker's bid for the speakership will hemorrhage even further today.
Several GOP members who spoke to Newsmax made it clear they had hoped Ohioan Jordan would end his candidacy after twice failing to secure the magic 217— the majority in the House required to elect a speaker — and allow them to move on to a candidate they considered more electable.
To the irritation of many members, including some Jordan supporters, the chair of the judiciary committee is demanding a third-floor vote today.
Several Republicans have initiated an effort to empower Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., to deal with spending and other issues for 15 days, or are turning to another member such as House Rules Committee Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., as temporary speaker.
One who was public about her feelings on Jordan and the speakership was sophomore Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa.
Having voiced concerns that supporting House Judiciary Committee Chair Jordan might cause her to lose reelection in her marginal district, Miller-Meeks nevertheless supported him on the first ballot Tuesday.
On the second ballot, she switched her vote to Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, for speaker.
In a startling statement released by her office late Wednesday, Miller-Meeks revealed that "[s]ince my vote ... I have received credible death threats and a barrage of threatening calls. The proper authorities have been notified and my office is cooperating fully."
Jordan quickly released a statement of his own denouncing anyone who threatens a public official.
While it is nearly out of the question that Jordan himself had anything to do with the threats, Miller-Meeks' letter nevertheless reminded many Republicans that the Ohioan's supporters have played in a nasty way.
Other House Republicans have complained that Fox News' Sean Hannity and radio talk show host Dan Bongino have urged their listeners to contact GOP lawmakers and urge them to support Jordan for speaker.
"Rush Limbaugh would never have told his listeners to contact their members of Congress on something like that," one former Hill staffer told Newsmax.
"It's not something a broadcaster should be doing."
Asked by Newsmax late Wednesday whether he would change his previous two votes to finally support Jordan, freshman Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., replied: "Not at all. I will still vote for [dethroned Speaker] Kevin McCarthy."
After Jordan drew 200 votes on the first ballot and 199 on the second, most members hoped he would end his candidacy for speaker.
Another congressman who opposes Jordan told Newsmax the issue is not a left versus right matter, many people just don't like Jordan or trust his leadership of the caucus.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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