A day ahead of a critical floor vote, Rep. Jim Jordan, the Republican nominee for speaker, promised to unite the conference and not simply govern as a hardline conservative.
Mr. Jordan, 59, sent a letter to rank-and-file Republicans Monday promising to do what other GOP leaders have been unable to accomplish in the past decade: unite far-right conservatives with the rest of the conference.
“The role of a speaker is to bring all Republicans together. That’s what I intend to do,” Mr. Jordan wrote.
The Ohio Republican’s letter praised the conference for its diversity. “We don’t march in lockstep like our Democratic colleagues,” he wrote.
The division is making it tough for GOP lawmakers to elect a speaker from their party.
Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana was nominated for the job last week but dropped out a day later, unable to come up with the support of 217 Republicans needed to survive in a vote on the House floor.
SEE ALSO: Top holdout now backs Jordan’s bid for House speaker
Now Mr. Jordan is trying to round up the 217 Republicans, nearly all of the conference. He flipped several key holdouts Monday.
Mr. Jordan has built his power and popularity as founder and former chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.
The conference has been divided among five groups, ranging from moderate to hard right, and Mr. Jordan told lawmakers he believes he can bring everyone together.
“We will make sure there are more Republican voices involved in our major decisions beyond the Five Families,” Mr. Jordan wrote, referencing the factions.
He promised to delegate power to the committees and their chairs to write and advance legislation. “This will bring us together to pass responsible legislation to fund our government and supply our military,” he said.
Mr. Jordan also pledged to “tirelessly work” to defend and expand the GOP’s majority, which will involve intensive recruiting and fundraising that would fall to him primarily as speaker.
The House has been without a speaker since Oct. 3, when the ultra-right faction of eight lawmakers voted with all Democrats to remove Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California.
Mr. Jordan raised roughly $14 million in the 2022 election cycle and gave $1.9 million to the House fundraising arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee, and other Republicans.
By comparison, Mr. McCarthy raised $62.5 million in the first six months of his speakership. He gave $8.3 million to defend specific GOP incumbents and $17.6 million to the NRCC.
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
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