Article: Rep. Jim Jordan’s Speaker Bid Raises Concerns Over Election Denialism
As Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) sought to become House speaker, there were growing concerns among House Republicans about having an election denier in the most powerful legislative seat in the U.S. government during a presidential election year. Jordan, who withdrew his nomination for speaker after his third defeat, was a vocal advocate for the claim that the 2020 election was stolen from former president Donald Trump. He also played a role in Trump’s efforts to overturn the election results.
One key reason for Republicans’ discomfort with Jordan was his refusal to comply with a subpoena for testimony from the House Select Committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. The committee uncovered evidence that Jordan had communications with Trump and others regarding the activities leading up to the attack. While Jordan’s role in the attack and his election denialism were not the primary factors that led to his defeat, some Republican lawmakers expressed concerns about his refusal to acknowledge Joe Biden’s election win.
Election denialism has been a divisive issue within the Republican Party, despite several high-profile losses for election-denying candidates in the 2022 midterms. Among the lawmakers vying for the speaker vacancy, only Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) voted to certify the 2020 election. Others, including Reps. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Kevin Hern (R-Fla.), Mike Johnson (R-La.), and Jack Bergman (R-Mich.), objected to the certification. Some staff members from the House Select Committee drew parallels between the tactics used to spread false election fraud claims in 2020 and the pressure campaign against Jordan’s detractors.
During a closed-door conference meeting, Jordan declined to answer directly whether he believed Trump won the 2020 election. This lack of clarity raised concerns among lawmakers who expected a straightforward answer. In a news conference on Friday, Jordan once again avoided definitively stating whether he believed the election was over, citing problems with the election without providing evidence.
Critics argue that Jordan’s amplification of unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud, his refusal to concede the election, and his involvement in speaking at “Stop the Steal” rallies and meeting with Trump campaign officials all undermined the integrity of the electoral process. Others blamed Jordan for the toxic pressure campaign against lawmakers who opposed his bid for speaker. Some of these lawmakers received violent threats and intimidating phone calls, which investigators believe to be an extension of the tactics used to incite the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-Miss.), who chaired the Jan. 6 committee, expressed concern about Jordan’s possible rise to speaker designate, calling it a “sad commentary” on Congress and the Republican Party. Thompson believes that Jordan’s involvement in obstructing the committee’s work and his refusal to acknowledge the legitimacy of the election would not be good for the country.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Rep. Bennie G. Thompson as a Republican. He is a Democrat.