Jim Jordan moves forward after stepping back, to push for House Speaker again

Hours after Republican Jim Jordan said he was pausing his bid to be the speaker of the US House of Representatives, the Ohio Congressman said he would push ahead with another vote on his bid to become the House Speaker.

For over two weeks, the US House of Representatives has been without a speaker after the previous speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted by conservative Republican members.

"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 hours after announcing support for fellow Republican Patrick McHenry.

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Jordan met with some of the 22 fellow Republicans who have voted against him.

"We all told him that we're solid no's. That was the discussion," Republican Representative Vern Buchanan told reporters.

"Now he's got a decision to make."

Is it Jordan Vs McHenry for US House Speaker?

According to a Reuters report, some members have suggested a formal vote is not needed to give McHenry expanded powers and believe that the acting speaker position inherently gives him the authority to act.

McHenry has pushed back on that idea.

"If there is some goal to subvert the House rules to give me power without a formal vote, I will not accept it," he told reporters.

Jim Jordan has failed to get enough votes to be the US House speaker twice so far.

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

They cited differences on taxes and spending and accused him of undercutting the leadership bid of No. 2 House Republican Steve Scalise last week.

Representative Drew Ferguson, said in a statement on Thursday: "The House Republican Conference does not need a bully as the speaker."

Jim Jordan has come up as a leader of a hard-right faction of the Republicans on Capitol Hill that has exercised significant influence this year.

Jordan's supporters say that he would be an effective proponentfor conservative policies in Washington where Democrats control the Senate and the White House.

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