Washington (United States), 17/10/2023.- Republican lawmaker from Ohio Jim Jordan (C) along with aides and lawmakers, tallies the House votes for the next Speaker of the House in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, USA, 17 October 2023. Jordon lost 20 Republican votes in the first round of voting. The House of Representatives has gone nearly two weeks without a speaker, after ousting former leader Kevin McCarthy. (Jordania) EFE/EPA/JIM LO SCALZO

Washington (United States), 17/10/2023.- Republican lawmaker from Ohio Jim Jordan (C) along with aides and lawmakers, tallies the House votes for the next Speaker of the House in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, USA, 17 October 2023. Jordon lost 20 Republican votes in the first round of voting. The House of Representatives has gone nearly two weeks without a speaker, after ousting former leader Kevin McCarthy. (Jordania) EFE/EPA/JIM LO SCALZO

Republican Jim Jordan fails initial vote for House Speaker

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Washington, Oct 17 (EFE).- Congressman Jim Jordan, ally of former United States President Donald Trump (2017-2021) and part of the hard wing of the Republican Party, failed to be elected speaker of the House of Representatives in the first vote on Tuesday.

Jordan was not supported by some of his colleagues on the bench and obtained 200 votes instead of the 217 necessary to take the position vacant since October 3, when fellow conservative Kevin McCarthy was dismissed after a motion presented by ultraconservative Matt Gaetz.

In Tuesday’s vote, 20 Republican lawmakers even chose members who did not run, such as McCarthy (6 votes) or Steve Scalise (7 votes), who was initially nominated but withdrew last week when he realized he did not have enough support.

Earlier in the day, Trump reiterated his support for Jordan, saying he was a “fantastic young man.”

“I think he’s going to have the votes soon, if not today, in the next day or two, and I think he’s going to end up being a great speaker,” he added.

The Democrats have proposed their leader in the House, Hakeem Jeffries, who also ran for the chairmanship of the institution last January against McCarthy.

On Tuesday against Jordan, Jeffries received 212 votes, also insufficient, but was repeatedly applauded by his Democratic colleagues for pointing out that he is the only one who can end the parliamentary chaos.

There were warnings from the Democratic bench about Jordan’s election, with the Democratic National Committee expressing concern about Jordan’s support for the far-right agenda on issues like banning abortion and efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

McCarthy was removed by a vote of 216 for and 210 against after Gaetz’s motion was supported by the Democratic caucus and eight rebellious Republicans who accused him of inefficient management and concessions to progressives.

In January, after Republicans won a majority in the House in the November 2022 midterm elections, it took McCarthy 15 attempts to be elected.

The interim chairmanship is currently held by conservative Patrick McHenry, but until there is a new “speaker” no new resolutions or bills can be passed at a time when the budgets for the current fiscal year must be closed and when it is pending to authorize more aid to Ukraine or Israel. EFE

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