Republican Jim Jordan picks up support in bid for House speaker

SRN NEWS

Republican Jim Jordan picked up support for his campaign to lead the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday as he aimed to bulldoze opposition within his own party by applying pressure in a series of public votes.

Several of Jordan’s fellow Republicans said they would support his bid for House Speaker, whittling down his opposition from the 55 lawmakers who had voted against endorsing on Friday. It was unclear whether he would be able to unite his party enough to prevail in a floor vote expected on Tuesday.

“I feel real good about the momentum we have,” Jordan told reporters. “We’re going to elect a speaker tomorrow.”

The political civil war that has consumed House Republicans largely behind closed doors since former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ouster on Oct. 3 has already used up two weeks that Congress could have spent funding federal agencies ahead of a Nov. 17 shutdown deadline and aiding allies Israel and Ukraine in their wars.