Well, after this week, a conservative certainly can’t say that the establishment of the party that’s supposed to represent their interests in American politics — the Republican Party — won’t go out of their way to make sure they can’t be trusted by the base.
As if Kevin McCarthy’s performance as House speaker wasn’t middling enough, there was the chorus of RINOs braying that Republicans voting to take the gavel away from him left the lower chamber in a dysfunctional state.
After House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and then Rep. Jim Jordan were nominated by the party to replace McCarthy, the same people complaining that the House was no longer functioning because no one had speaker powers were then willing to gum up the works by voting against them, making Scalise’s candidacy untenable and killing Jordan’s candidacy after three consecutive votes in which GOP opposition to him grew.
But no: It’s all about making the lower house functional, to hear Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania tell it:
Rep. Fitzpatrick (R-PA): “We had a speaker who put a two-party bill on the floor to avert a government shutdown & he was punished for it. That is the worst message you can send to America. And every single person that voted to punish bipartisanship ought to be held accountable.” pic.twitter.com/A8QPiQntE2
— CSPAN (@cspan) October 20, 2023
Right. So after Fitzpatrick was one of 25 Republicans who voted against Jordan, this was the headline from CNBC on Friday afternoon: “House Republicans scramble to find new speaker nominee after they ditch Jim Jordan.” (Remember the old media adage: In headlines, Republicans either “scramble” or they “pounce.”)
In a secret ballot, the House Republican Conference voted 112-86 to drop Jordan as the nominee after the third failed speaker vote, CBS News reported.
“I thought it was important that we all know [and] get an answer to the question if they wanted me to continue in that role,” said Jordan, an Ohio Republican who chairs the House Judiciary Committee.
Will the Republicans will be able to reunite?
Yes: 0% (0 Votes)
No: 0% (0 Votes)
“So we put the question to them. They made a different decision.”
Given that Jordan was arguably the most conservative of the contenders thus far and the origin of this vote was distrust engendered among the party’s most conservative members, they weren’t exactly thrilled over what Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz called “swampy.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL): “The most popular Republican in the United States Congress was just knifed by a secret ballot, in a private meeting, in the basement of the Capitol. It’s as swampy as swamp gets, and Jim Jordan deserved better than that.” pic.twitter.com/mdsNa7bdEd
— The Recount (@therecount) October 20, 2023
“The most popular Republican in the United States Congress was just knifed by secret ballot in a private meeting in the basement of the Capitol,” said Gaetz, who helped lead the vote that dethroned McCarthy, as he left the meeting.
“It’s as swampy as swamp gets, and Jim Jordan deserved better than that.”
Other Jordan supporters on the party’s right flank agreed.
“Jim Jordan gave it his all,” Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie posted on X.
“He was the best Speaker candidate to reform Congress’s spending addiction that’s been bankrupting our country. But sadly today the GOP conference met privately and ended his candidacy by a vote of 112 to 86. I would have voted 1000 rounds for Jim.”
Jim Jordan gave it his all.
He was the best Speaker candidate to reform Congress’s spending addiction that’s been bankrupting our country.
But sadly today the GOP conference met privately and ended his candidacy by a vote of 112 to 86.
I would have voted 1000 rounds for Jim.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) October 20, 2023
Texas Rep. Chip Roy agreed.
This is correct. I am proud of @Jim_Jordan – he is my friend, and I am frankly embarrassed by @HouseGOP who knifed him to avenge what Jim had nothing to do with. This is not over – it’s just beginning. https://t.co/nL6LXtwdac
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) October 21, 2023
“This is correct,” Roy said, reposting Massie’s statement.
“I am proud of @Jim_Jordan — he is my friend, and I am frankly embarrassed by @HouseGOP who knifed him to avenge what Jim had nothing to do with.
“This is not over – it’s just beginning,” he promised.
The problem is, as of CNBC’s reporting late Friday afternoon, there were at least 10 Republicans running or considering running for speaker: Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, Georgia Rep. Austin Scott, Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson, Michigan Rep. Jack Bergman, Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer, Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern, Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Meuser, and Texas Reps. Jodey Arrington, Pete Sessions and Roger Williams.
As a further problem, with the possible exception of Donalds — whose star is on the rise, but is young (44) and inexperienced (elected to the House only in 2020) — none of the names on those list have the pull, star power, experience or conservative bona fides that Jordan did. Yet, moderate House Republicans knifed Jordan under the pretense of wanting to get back to business as usual ASAP.
How’s that been going so far, all you Rep. Brian Fitzpatricks?
