House GOP support for Jim Jordan of Ohio to be the next speaker climbed on Monday. But he still appeared short of the votes needed to win the election on the floor.
Republicans began returning to Washington on Monday night ahead of a floor vote scheduled for noon Tuesday. They huddled behind closed doors in their latest effort to elect a new speaker after a two-week scramble that has frozen most legislative activities.
The fly-in night meeting was lightly attended. But based on commentary from lawmakers coming and going, it was clear that Jordan, who can only afford to lose four votes and still get elected, has some more work to do.
