South Carolina Congresswoman Nancy Mace endorsed Rep Jim Jordan to become the new House speaker, echoing former President Donald Trump in advocating for the Ohio Republican to replace Kevin McCarthy.
“I am going to be supporting Jim Jordan for speaker,” the South Carolina Republican said on Face the Nation on Sunday.
She applauded Mr Jordan’s “work ethic” and “his ability to just run circles around everyone with regards to policy and pushing forward.”
“We’ve been one of the least productive Congresses inside of 30 years and he’s going to be a workhorse for our country,” she added.
“I want a speaker who will keep their word and who will get the job done,” Rep Mace said. She was one of only eight Republicans to vote to oust Mr McCarthy from his post last week in a historic vote. Since the vote, Ms Mace said she’s being “threatened” by her Republican colleagues to be removed from committees and the conference.
“I want to use this as an opportunity to say I’m willing to work with anyone who’s willing to work with me,” she continued.
The South Carlina Republican’s endorsement comes days after Mr Trump endorsed Mr Jordan, calling him a “star” on Truth Social. He added, “He will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete & Total Endorsement!”
Kentucky Sen Rand Paul has also endorsed Mr Jordan.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, former Republican Rep Liz Cheney voiced her opposition to Mr Jordan, warning: “If the Republicans decide that Jim Jordan should be the Speaker of the House ... [t]here would no longer be any possible way to argue that a group of elected Republicans could be counted on to defend the Constitution.”
But the Ohio Republican isn’t the only one running. Along with Rep Jordan, Rep Steve Scalise also jumped in the race for the speakership on 4 October.
In a letter to colleagues last week, Mr Scalise said: “It is with that sense of responsibility and purpose that I am seeking the Conference’s nomination for Speaker of the House. You know my leadership style I’ve displayed as your Majority Leader and Whip. I have a proven track record of bringing together the diverse array of viewpoints within our Conference to build consensus where others thought it impossible.”
