Rep. Jim Jordan, Ohio Republican, gained more support over the weekend from his fellow Republicans to become speaker, Rep. Thomas Massie, a member of Mr. Jordan’s whip team, told The Washington Times.
House Republicans left the U.S. Capitol on Friday without electing a new speaker after Mr. Jordan won the caucus vote but only got 152 votes from his GOP colleagues — well short of the 217 votes he would need to win the gavel in a floor vote.
However, according to Mr. Massie of Kentucky, Mr. Jordan has picked up 30 to 50 more supporters for speaker over the weekend and expects to earn more by the time the speaker vote happens on Tuesday on the House floor.
On the first round, Jordan’s support will be somewhere between 180 and 200 votes, he said. “And then, it grows quickly from there.”
Mr. Massie said several Republican lawmakers will vote for someone other than Mr. Jordan in the first and second rounds. However, that is likely to change in subsequent rounds after that.
“I think in the first round, you may have some people who have to get it off their chest. They feel obligated to vote for [former Speaker] Kevin McCarthy at least once or [Majority Leader] Steve Scalise at least once or Donald Trump,” he said.
“Then they’ll converge toward Jordan. I think it’ll be a lot to jump on after the first or second round.”
Mr. McCarthy, who was ousted as speaker last month by eight House Republicans and the entire Democratic caucus, is working to help make Mr. Jordan his successor but conceded Sunday it is still unclear whether he will be able to secure enough support in a floor vote scheduled for Tuesday.
“I think Jim Jordan can get there. I’m one who understands how difficult it is,” Mr. McCarthy said on the Fox News program “Sunday Morning Futures.” “I did walk in with more support during this time, but I believe at the end of day Jim can get there.”
The House has been unable to do business and pass legislation since Mr. McCarthy’s ouster and unable to conduct normal business or pass legislation, placing pressure on GOP lawmakers to choose a new speaker as war breaks out in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas.
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer told reporters Sunday during a visit to Tel Aviv that the chamber will pass a bipartisan military aid package for Israel in the coming weeks, a move the New York Democrat said will hopefully further press House Republicans.
Mr. McCarthy said he does not believe other Republicans such as Reps. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma and Mike Johnson of Louisiana could get the support to become speaker. He predicted they would come up “very short.”
Tuesday’s floor vote is scheduled for noon, which will be the two-week mark for the House lacking a speaker.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
• Ramsey Touchberry can be reached at rtouchberry@washingtontimes.com.
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