House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan became Republicans’ nominee for speaker Friday, winning a secret-ballot election against Georgia Rep. Austin Scott, a last-minute entrant into the race.
But Jordan’s ability to win the required floor vote to secure the gavel was in some doubt after a rare second ballot showed he wouldn’t win, at least if the vote were held Friday. So GOP lawmakers decided to hold off and take the weekend to sort things out, giving Jordan time to grow his support.
“We’re done here until Monday,” Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., said after the second ballot to gauge how many GOP members would back Jordan on the floor came in at 152-55. One member voted “present” on that second ballot, according to Cammack and Rep. French Hill, R-Ark.
