(USNewsMag.com) – House Judiciary Committee Chairman and Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan is the first Republican lawmaker to announce he is running for House Speaker.
The move came after Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz made a motion to vacate that led to a 216-210 vote to remove California Rep. Kevin McCarthy from the House speaker position.
In announcing he was running, Jordan stated that the priority for the speaker would be to unite the Republican conference. In a letter requesting the support of his colleagues, Jordan wrote that it is time Republicans “come together to keep our promises to Americans.” He added that the problems facing the country “are challenging, but they are not insurmountable.” Jordan said that they can offer solutions, but whatever they do, they must “do it together as a conference.”
Currently, Jordan is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, one of the three House committees that has been investigating President Joe Biden as well as his family. The investigation resulted in the House Oversight Committee ordering an impeachment inquiry.
Ohio Rep. Mike Carey is helping to whip votes for Jordan with moderate Republicans as well as more mainstream conservatives.
California Rep. Darrell Issa, who is known to be a McCarthy ally, jumped in with support for Jordan. Issa stated that “the choice is clear” and that the next speaker of the House needs to be Jordan.
In a post on Twitter, Gaetz wrote, “My mentor Jim Jordan would be great!” adding that Jordan is his “first choice if he will run.”
On Oct. 10, House Republicans will hold a candidate forum followed by a vote on Oct. 11.
Jordan is not the only Republican to announce that he is running for speaker, as Majority Leader Steve Scalise also announced that he is running. Others have been speculated as potential candidates as well, including Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, the Republican Study Committee Chairman, and Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern.
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