The House of Representatives again declined to elect Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan as speaker on Wednesday

Wednesday

leaving the House in chaos as the Republican majority remains unable to elect a leader who can win a simple majority vote.

Twenty-two

Republicans declined to endorse Jordan for speaker, down from the 20 who declined to back him in his first attempt Tuesday.

All of the lawmakers who voted against Jordan, a right-wing firebrand, supported more traditional Republicans, including former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and former House Majority Lead.

He

Steve Scalise from Louisiana.

All Democrats in the House of Representatives endorsed House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York for speaker.

The house has been in free fall for two weeks now. On September 29, a small faction of rebel Republicans ousted McCarthy with the help of Democrats.

Louisiana Representative Steve

Scalise dropped out of the race for speaker last week after it became clear he didn’t have the votes. Jordan took his place and fell short as speaker on Tuesday after 20 Republicans voted against him.

Without a speaker, the House cannot vote on crucial legislation, including bills to send funding to Ukraine as it fends off the Russian invasion, and to Israel as its military prepares to invade the Gaza Strip in response to an October attack . 7 attack by Hamas militants.

If the House cannot elect a Speaker, members may choose to elect Rep. Patrick McHenry (RN.C.), who serves as speaker pro tempore, the authority to introduce crucial legislation.

Former Republican Speakers of the House of Representatives

John A. Boehner

(who got one vote on Wednesday)?? And

Newt Gingrich

urged that solution in statements on Tuesday. Jordan has said he would like the House to vote on the issue today.

Jordan’s continued failure to secure the presidency is a defeat for former President Trump, who endorsed the Ohioan shortly after McCarthy’s impeachment.

Jordan was a key player in the Trump campaign’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, further cementing his loyalty to the former president. Trump, who faces state and federal criminal charges over his efforts to overturn the election and his alleged mishandling of classified documents, is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president.

Jordan was an outspoken critic of Democrats and moderate Republicans during his sixteen years in Congress. Although Jordan never served or succeeded in party leadership

An

law, he enjoys the support of right-wing influencers and television stars, who have ventured into a

optimistic

public campaign to pressure Republican backbenchers to support him.

After the vote, Representative Mike Lawler of New York told reporters that it is clear he does not have the votes. “I don’t see the outcome changing,” Lawler said. He added that he would support empowering McHenry, the speaker pro tempore, but that he still believes McCarthy should lead the party.