Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) on Wednesday predicted that Rep. Jim Jordan‘s (R-Ohio.) bid to secure the House Speaker’s role continue to face resistance.
Buck, in an interview with CBS News, stated that Jordan will continue to “bleed votes” with each ballot after Ohio Republicans failed to secure enough votes on the second ballot for House Speaker on Wednesday.
“I think he bleeds three or four votes this next time, maybe a little bit more,” Buck said.
Buck suggested that some House Republicans may withdraw their support for Jordan after voting for him twice, considering the political risks of continuing to back a Trump-endorsed GOP hardliner. “He started out with 20 (votes opposed). He’s now down 22. I think he’ll be down to 25, 26 if he goes to the floor again,” Buck said.
He suggested that Republicans consider a temporary speakership to break the impasse and facilitate the passage of crucial legislation. Buck offered two potential outcomes: a “power-sharing” arrangement between Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Jordan or a temporary speakership held by current Speaker pro tempore, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.).
“What we would do in effect was to say, ‘Okay, we will elect Patrick McHenry, and he will agree to resign in 30 days or 60 days so that we can move forward with legislation,’” Buck said.
“And at the same time, (Republicans) figure out who we’re going to pick as a permanent speaker. So, if [McHenry] doesn’t resign, we have a motion to vacate.”
“This is three-dimensional chess,” Buck concluded, acknowledging that a long road lies ahead before any resolution is achieved.
This came after about six Republicans withdrew their support for Jordan during the second vote. Despite the opposition, another speaker vote is scheduled for Thursday at Jordan’s behest.
The House GOP has been struggling to reach a consensus on its leadership since the historic removal of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from the Speaker’s role two weeks ago.
McCarthy went through 15 rounds to become Speaker of the House that was led in an opposition by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).
Gaetz led the ousting of McCarthy from the speakership making him the first speaker to be removed in U.S. History.
Despite the GOP conference’s nomination of Jordan for the Speaker’s role last week, it remains uncertain whether he will secure enough support on the House floor to claim the position.
Congress is expected to go through another round to select the Speaker of the House.
“There’s been a bullying campaign to corral the votes and they’re wrestling with the wrong people,” said Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) of himself and another holdout, Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas, a retired Army colonel. “It backfires.”
Produced in association with Benzinga
