USA
Hardliner Jordan wants chairmanship of the US House of Representatives
Republican hardliner Jim Jordan is running for chairman of the US House of Representatives. photo
© J Scott Applewhite/AP
Jim Jordan belongs to the far right wing of the Republican Party. Now the Trump confidant is running for an important top position. Can he be Kevin McCarthy’s successor?
In the turbulent race for the presidency of the US House of Representatives, the Republicans narrowly defeated the hardliner in an internal election Jim Jordan chosen as their new candidate. According to consistent US media reports, former President Donald Trump’s confidant received 124 votes in the vote in the parliamentary group meeting behind closed doors.
In order to actually become chairman of the House of Representatives, he would need the votes of 217 MPs in a plenary vote. Just a few hours earlier, the largely unknown Austin Scott from Georgia had surprisingly declared his candidacy. He came out of the gate with 81 votes in the vote.
After Jordan prevailed over Scott, lawmakers voted on whether they would support the hard-line Conservative in a floor vote. Only 152 MPs declared that they wanted to vote for him, 55 voted against him and one person abstained. The Republicans only have a very slim majority in the chamber, which is why a handful of dissenters are enough to block a candidacy.
Guideless chamber
The previous leader of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, was voted out of office last week in a historic vote. In order to be elected to the third most important office in the state after president and vice president, an absolute majority is required among the members of the House of Representatives present.
This means that 217 votes would probably be needed in the parliamentary chamber to be elected to the top post. The party had initially chosen the right-wing conservative Steve Scalise as a possible successor, but because he also did not get the necessary majority, he withdrew his candidacy on Thursday evening.
It is unclear when a vote in the House of Representatives on the presidency will take place and whether Republicans will find a candidate with a majority by then. As long as the chamber remains leaderless, observers say a vote on aid packages for the military conflicts in Ukraine and Israel is unlikely.