CNN host Jake Tapper was left stunned when Rep Nancy Mace made a wild claim about the future of the House speakership live on air on Wednesday night.
The MAGA Republican appeared on CNN after Rep Steve Scalise defeated Rep Jim Jordan to take the GOP nomination to become the next speaker of the House of Representatives.
During the segment, she claimed that there are several Democrats in Congress who “trust” Mr Jordan – the Donald Trump ally who has spent more than 500 days evading a subpoena about his involvement in the events leading up to the January 6 Capitol riot.
“I think Jim Jordan is not out of the mix. I’ve talked to a lot of people who still support him. I’ve actually spoke to Democrats who trust him at his word. I don’t think that’s out of the realm of possibility,” Ms Mace claimed.
Mr Tapper balked at the suggestion, questioning: “Jim Jordan?”
Ms Mace doubled down, saying: “Yes I’ve talked to Democrats over the past week on who they trust. Even though they wouldn’t agree with him on a lot of issues, he is–”.
But Mr Tapper continued with his incredulity, asking: “The Jim Jordan from Ohio?”
When the Republican insisted “yes” again, Mr Tapper pressed: “Democrats in Congress?”
Ms Mace smiled and insisted “yes”.
At that point, Mr Tapper challenged the lawmaker to give an example.
“Name one Democrat from Congress that trusts Jim Jordan,” he said.
Ms Mace refused, saying they were “private conversations” she had with Democrats.
Jake Tapper stunned by Nancy Mace claims on CNN— (CNN)
Mr Jordan lost the Republican party nomination to the majority leader and Louisiana congressman Mr Scalise on Wednesday, in a narrow 113-99 vote.
But the party declined to call a vote in the whole chamber later that day as questions remain as to whether Mr Scalise has enough support from his party to take the gavel.
Mr Scalise can only afford to lose four Republican votes to take the role leaving him now facing an uphill battle to get enough of his own party on side.
Several Republicans including far-right MAGA lawmakers Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene have already said that they will still vote for Mr Jordan on the House floor.
Ms Greene claimed that she wouldn’t vote for Mr Scalise due to his health issues.
Ms Mace had endorsed Mr Jordan for the speaker role, after she was one of the eight Republicans – led by Rep Matt Gaetz – who joined Democrats to vote to remove Kevin McCarthy from the speakership on 3 October.
Mr McCarthy had grown increasingly at odds with the far-right wing of the party – notably lead rebel and MAGA Republican Mr Gaetz.
Mr Gaetz had filed a motion to vacate the speaker in outrage that Mr McCarthy struck a deal with Democrats to avert a government shutdown – one that could have temporarily shuttered key services for American people and furloughed federal workers.
Jim Jordan was defeated by Steve Scalise— (Getty Images)
After Democrats declined to bail out the speaker and members of his own party turned on him, Mr McCarthy was removed in a 216-210 vote to vacate – marking the first time in American history that a speaker has been ousted by other lawmakers.
Ms Mace came under fire from members of her own party for her involvment in Mr McCarthy’s ousting.
She defended the move, claiming that he broke several promises that he made to her when she voted him into the role in January.
On Tuesday, she bizarrely showed up to the House speaker candidate forum on Tuesday sporting a t-shirt with a red letter “A” emblazoned across it, telling reporters that she was wearing the “scarlet letter” as a symbol that she had been “demonised” at the Capitol this week.
“I’m wearing the scarlet letter after the week I just had being a woman up here, and being demonised for my vote and for my voice,” she said in the halls of Congress.
“I’m here to let the rest of the world know and the country know: I’m on the side of the people. I’m not on the side of the establishment.
She added: “And I’m going to do the right thing every single time no matter the consequences because I don’t answer to anybody in DC. I don’t answer to anyone in Washington. I only answer to the people.”
The South Carolina lawmaker’s fashion statement appears to be a reference to the 1850 novel The Scarlet Letter.
In the novel, the female lead character Hester Prynne was forced to wear a scarlet A for the rest of her life as a punishment for having a child out of wedlock.
