Jordan suspends bid for House speaker, backs McHenry for temporary role

SRN News

Conservative Jim Jordan will suspend his bid to serve as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and back Republican Patrick McHenry to fill the role on a temporary basis, media outlets reported on Thursday.

The House has been without a leader for more than two weeks, and Jordan has twice failed to secure the 217 votes needed to claim the speaker’s gavel as he has faced opposition from Democrats and more than 20 of his fellow Republicans.

Asked what he expected as he entered a closed-door meeting with other Republicans, Jordan said only, “I’m not gonna know until I talk to my colleagues.”

The Washington Post and Punchbowl reported that Jordan will not seek a third vote to win the post and instead will back a plan to empower McHenry to hold the post until January, the outlets reported. McHenry is currently serving as acting speaker.