Jordan says he’ll seek House speaker position

WASHINGTON » 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 Jordan 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 border, make the 2017 tax cuts permanent and cut federal spending to avoid large deficits if he becomes speaker.

Jordan’s announcement

made him the first Republican lawmaker to formally declare his desire to replace Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, who is retiring. His run represents a challenge to Ryan’s preferred successor, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R- Calif., who has not yet announced his candidacy.

Jordan’s announcement comes amid recent questions about whether he was aware, as an assistant wrestling 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 appointments.

Jordan worked for the school’s athletic department from 1987 to 1995.

Jordan denies that he witnessed, heard or knew about any sexual misbehavior by Strauss, who killed himself in 2005.