Jordan announces desire to become House speaker
Ohio Republican is considered a long-shot candidate.
Conservative Rep. Jim Jordan launched a long-shot bid for speaker of the House on Thursday, casting himself as a loyal foot soldier of President Trump and the best candidate to carry out the president’s agenda if Republicans keep their majority in the midterm elections.
Jordan, R-Ohio, argued that the GOP-led Congress has let Trump down in a letter to colleagues Thursday that announced his plans.
“President Trump has taken bold action on behalf of the American people,” he wrote. “Congress has not held up its end of the deal, but we can change that. It’s time to do what we said.”
Specifically, Jordan vowed to fully repeal the 2010 health-care law, build a wall along the southern bor- der, make the 2017 tax cuts permanent and cut federal spending to avoid large defi- cits if he becomes speaker.
Jordan’s announcement made him the first Republican lawmaker to formally declare his desire to replace Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who is retiring. His run represents a challenge to Ryan’s preferred successor, House Majority Leader Kevin McCa- rthy, R-Calif., who has not yet announced his candidacy.
“I support Kevin McCarthy — everybody knows that,” Ryan said at a news confer- ence Thursday when asked about Jordan’s plans.
Jordan’s announcement comes amid recent questions about whether he was aware, as an assistant wres- tling coach at Ohio State University three decades ago, that a team doctor allegedly was sexually abusing athletes.
Several former wrestlers have said the team discussed alleged misconduct by the late Richard Strauss in the locker room while Jordan was present; one has said he told Jordan directly that Strauss touched him inappropriately during appoint- ments.
Jordan denies that he witnessed, heard or knew about any sexual misbehavior by Strauss, who killed himself in 2005. The Ohio Republican interviewed last week with lawyers from Perkins Coie, a firm tasked with investigating the abuse alle- gations.
Jordan’s announcement, coming on the House’s last workday before a five-week recess, won swift praise from conservative lawmakers, who have signaled they do not want McCarthy to claim the speakership without a fight. House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., is also expected to throw his hat in the ring.
“I appreciate [ Jordan’s] willingness to put himself out there and try to make sure that this place works in a fashion that actually produces good results,” said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., the chairman of the conservative Freedom Caucus, who is supporting Jordan’s bid.
Meadows said the speaker’s race will test who can make the best case about “how they’re going to make sure that this place operates well in the long run.”
Activists and groups on the conservative right enthusiastically welcomed the news with their own nods to Trump.
“The president is delivering, but Congress remains crippled by the status quo,” Club for Growth President David McIntosh said in a statement. “It’s time to shake up Congress and elect a principled conservative to the Speakership.”
FreedomWorks President Adam Brandon said Jordan “would succeed where Speaker Ryan failed.”
“Far removed from the corrupt Washington establishment, Jim Jordan is a man committed to draining the swamp,” Brandon said in a statement.
To be elected speaker, Jordan will have to ensure Republicans maintain a majority in the House in November’s midterms. Democrats only need to flip about two dozen seats to take control.
A McCarthy ally, Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., suggested Jordan’s announcement was premature.