Title: Speaker of the House Vacancy Continues, Impacts Aid Package and Shutdown Negotiations
Subtitle: GOP and Democrats Remain Deadlocked, Aid Package and Shutdown Negotiations Stalled
Date: [Current Date]
Byline: [Author Name]
WASHINGTON — The nation is currently facing its 17th day without a speaker of the House, resulting in a chaotic logjam with significant consequences. As a result of this unprecedented situation, President Joe Biden’s aid package for wars in Israel and Ukraine has been unable to advance through the House, and negotiations to avoid a government shutdown before the Nov. 17 deadline have come to a standstill.
House Republicans and Democrats continue to be deadlocked as they struggle to nominate a new speaker. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, has been nominated by the GOP for the speakership for the third time, while House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has been nominated by the Democrats. However, Jordan faces intense opposition from 25 GOP lawmakers who have not indicated any willingness to budge. Furthermore, Jordan has already lost two previous speaker votes.
The ongoing speaker fight has garnered significant attention, and the latest updates are being closely followed by USA TODAY. The GOP lawmakers who voted to oust McCarthy have offered to accept any consequences, including removal of committee assignments, censures, and/or removal from the conference if it would placate Jordan’s holdouts.
Despite these efforts, Jordan lost the third speaker vote, failing to gain enough support and losing more support among House Republicans. The number of lawmakers voting against Jordan has steadily increased, reaching 25 in the third ballot. It remains unclear whether a fourth vote will be held and whether lawmakers will stay in session through the weekend.
The 25 GOP lawmakers who voted against Jordan include Reps. Don Bacon, Vern Buchanan, Ken Buck, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Anthony D’Esposito, Mario Diaz-Balart, Jake Ellzey, Drew Ferguson, Brian Fitzpatrick, Andrew Garbarino, Carlos Gimenez, Tony Gonzales, Kay Granger, John James, Tom Kean, Mike Kelly, Jen Kiggans, Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Marc Molinaro, John Rutherford, Mike Simpson, Pete Stauber, and Steve Womack.
Additionally, three GOP lawmakers who initially supported Jordan during the previous votes have now flipped their support to another candidate. These lawmakers are Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Tom Kean, and Marc Molinaro.
House Minority Whip Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., nominated Jeffries for the speakership on behalf of House Democrats. She criticized Jordan’s legislative record, highlighting his support for cutting Social Security and Medicare. She further emphasized that Jordan represents a threat to democracy, mentioning his vote against certifying Biden’s victory in the 2020 election.
Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy nominated Jordan as his successor, praising him as a leader and effective legislator. However, McCarthy faced jeers and opposition from Democrats during his defense of Jordan.
Meanwhile, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the situation a “national nightmare” and described Jordan as a clear and present danger to democracy. Jeffries listed Jordan’s stance on issues such as the 2020 election denial, abortion ban, and cuts to Social Security and Medicare as reasons for his concern.
When asked whether he believed the 2020 election was stolen, Jordan gave a non-committal answer and pointed out the problems with the election. This stance has drawn criticism from some Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., who refuses to support Jordan until he acknowledges Trump’s loss in 2020.
With the impasse continuing, House Democrats expressed openness to the idea of empowering acting speaker Patrick McHenry to conduct the House’s business. However, Clark emphasized the need for bipartisanship and called on Republicans to come together for the benefit of the country and the institution.
As the situation remains unresolved, Jordan held a press conference to rally support for his speaker bid and reaffirmed his determination to pursue the speakership, stating that the House cannot function without a speaker.
The prospects of electing a new speaker are uncertain, with Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, stating that the votes for Jordan are not changing, and there is a growing sense among House Republicans that a new candidate may need to be considered soon. Nevertheless, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., expressed slightly more optimism about electing a new speaker by the end of the day, putting the odds at 30%.
It is unclear whether there will be further speaker elections or if the House will stay in session throughout the weekend. The vacancy in the speakership has led to significant disruptions, with Aid Package and shutdown negotiations on hold, contributing to further uncertainty in an already divided political landscape.