Republican Jim Jordan revives fight after pausing campaign for US House Speaker

Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan - Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) – Conservative Jim Jordan vowed to continue his bid for speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday after his fellow Republicans abandoned a backup plan to allow the chamber to resume business.

Jordan, who has lost two votes for speaker this week, emerged from an hours-long closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans to say he would press ahead with a third vote.

“I’m still running for speaker and I plan to go to the floor and get the votes and win this race,” Jordan told reporters.

According to lawmakers in the room, Jordan had earlier said he would pause his speaker bid and called on them to extend the authority of Representative Patrick McHenry. McHenry has been acting speaker since Oct. 3, when a small group of party members ousted Kevin McCarthy.

But many Republicans objected to that proposal.

The House’s leadership vacuum has prevented Congress from acting on urgent legislative business.

Democratic President Joe Biden is expected to ask Congress this week to approve as much as $60 billion for Ukraine and $10 billion for Israel, and funding for U.S. government operations is due to expire in less than a month.

Jordan has twice failed to secure the 217 votes needed to claim the speaker’s gavel as he has faced opposition from Democrats and more than 20 of his fellow Republicans.

Republicans who have voted against him the first two times have predicted he will also fail on a third vote.

The prolonged leadership battle has laid bare divisions among Republicans who control the chamber by a narrow 221-212 margin. Investors say the turmoil on Capitol Hill is also contributing to market volatility.