Washington, Oct 19 (EFE).- Republican Jim Jordan, decided to temporarily withdraw his candidacy for speaker of the United States House of Representatives and not submit to a new vote on Thursday, after two failed attempts this week.
Jordan, an ally of former President Donald Trump (2017-2021), represents the most conservative side of the Republican Party.
His decision to withdraw, according to American media, comes after verifying that he still does not have the necessary support from his party to take over as speaker.
Jordan needed 217 votes, but in the first two votes on Tuesday and Wednesday he received 200 and 199, respectively, after about twenty of his colleagues on the bench preferred candidates who were not even running.
After verifying that he still did not reach the necessary minimum, the current chairman of the House Judiciary Committee has decided not to submit to a third vote on Thursday, The Washington Post noted.
Instead, the House will vote to give more temporary powers to the current interim chairman, fellow conservative Patrick McHenry, who was appointed by McCarthy after he was removed from office.
Since January, Republicans have held a majority in the lower chamber, with 221 seats to the Democrats’ 212.
However, after winning a majority in the House in the November 2022 midterm elections, it took Senator McCarthy 15 attempts to be elected Speaker in January.
The position has been vacant since October 3, when fellow Republican Kevin McCarthy was ousted due to a motion against him filed by the ultraconservative Matt Gaetz, of the same party.
Until there is a new “speaker”, no new resolutions or bills can be approved at a time when the budgets for the current fiscal year must be closed and when more aid to Ukraine or Israel is pending approval.
Granting McHenry’s increased authority would temporarily fill that gap. EFE
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