Jim Jordan weighs alternative to withdrawing from House speaker race

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is weighing an exit strategy in the House speaker race after two failed bids for the gavel and the prospect of a third round of voting appearing to be a guaranteed loss.

The Ohio Republican met with a small group on Wednesday night that included Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC), former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and a few aides to discuss his next moves, according to a source familiar with the meeting.

SENATE WORKING ON MULTIPLE FRONTS WHILE HOUSE REMAINS SPEAKERLESS

They discussed Jordan supporting a resolution that has become increasingly popular among Jordan’s detractors that would broaden McHenry’s powers through January in exchange for McHenry continuing to support Jordan as speaker-designate.

House leaders would use Jordan’s position as speaker-designate over the next few months to bring Jordan, at least informally, into the leadership fold as they test his abilities to perform the role through events, fundraisers, and more.

The plan would set Jordan up for a third speaker vote in January if he were to remain speaker-designate until then. It would also give Jordan the ability to avoid conceding a loss and withdrawing as the Republicans’ internal nominee while the House GOP remains in an elevated state of turmoil with no leader for more than two weeks.

Many of Jordan’s most fervent supporters, such as those in the House Freedom Caucus, have already signaled they do not support expanding McHenry’s powers, so winning them over would be a clear challenge. The McHenry plan would require Democratic Party support if more than four Republicans were to oppose it, given the GOP’s slim majority.

At least one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), has shown an openness to the idea, but House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has not indicated for certain whether he and his caucus as a whole would be supportive of such a measure.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), a vocal member of the Freedom Caucus, gave on social media what may be a mere preview of the internal opposition that would come if the McHenry plan were to become Republicans’ way forward.

“If the @HouseGOP dares cut a deal with Dems to empower a Speaker-Pro-Tem in violation of tradition & norms, & possibly the Constitution to likely pass another CR at Pelosi levels & more supplemental (not paid for) spending — including Ukraine … the GOP might as well be the Whigs,” Roy wrote.

However, the idea to empower McHenry has gained traction among more of Jordan’s opposers, who, citing the looming government shutdown next month and the war in Israel, say the need to move legislation is becoming urgent.

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Jordan’s other options as of Thursday morning are to stay in the race and risk what is expected to be a more brutal loss than he experienced during the first two rounds of voting or withdraw as the internal nominee.

Jordan’s office has maintained that the Ohio Republican plans to move forward with another round of voting at noon on Thursday, but the source familiar said pursuing the McHenry option remains on the table.