Jordan comes up short on the first vote for speaker

Republicans defeated Rep. Jim Jordan in his quest for the speaker’s gavel, leaving the House grappling with a second week of paralysis.

Mr Jordan, a conservative firebrand from Ohio who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, fell well short of the 217 votes needed to secure the gavel. Mr Jordan could afford to lose about four votes, but 20 Republicans voted against him.

The House recessed after the vote while Republicans tried to figure out their next move. It was unclear when the next round of votes would occur, but Mr. Jordan’s staunch allies had said he would win the necessary support on subsequent ballots.

Many of the Republican holdouts voted for ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California, who was ousted in a vote by eight hard-line conservatives and all Democrats on Oct. 3. Other lawmakers voted for Rep. Steve Scalise, the majority leader. Mr. Scalise was nominated for speaker last week but dropped out before a floor vote due to a lack of sufficient GOP support.

Mr. Jordan will have to win over the GOP lawmakers who have refused to back him so far while fighting an erosion of support by Republicans who have threatened to abandon him if he did not win on the first ballot.

If Mr. Jordan cannot win, Republicans, who control a four-seat majority, must nominate a new candidate.

A group of Republican lawmakers, frustrated with the stalemate over a speaker that has lasted for two weeks, say they’ll work with Democrats to elect somebody for the job, which would effectively cede the GOP’s majority control.

Under the rules, the House cannot conduct legislative business without an elected speaker. Some GOP lawmakers are pitching a plan to change the rules and provide more power to Rep. Patrick McHenry, a North Carolina Republican installed as a temporary speaker following Mr. McCarthy’s removal.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, the GOP conference chair from New York, nominated Mr. Jordan. She called him a patriot and a fighter against corruption who has fought fearlessly to hold Washington accountable.

“Jim is the voice of the American people who have felt voiceless for far too long,” she said.

Democrats, who helped push out Mr. McCarthy, voted for their minority leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar of California called on Republicans to agree on a compromise speaker who can win with votes from both parties.

“The choice before us is simple. Come together on a bipartisan path forward or take us over the cliff. Abandon the extremism that is preventing us from getting things done or tripled down on division and dysfunction,” Mr. Aguilar said.

Mr. Aguilar framed Mr. Jordan as a lawmaker unwilling to pass critical spending legislation or support other bipartisan legislation, and who backs a nationwide abortion ban.