Defiant Jim Jordan Declares: ‘I’m Still Running For Speaker’

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) will continue to run for speaker of the House after failing twice to receive the necessary votes from his fellow Republican lawmakers.

The House has not had a speaker in weeks after Kevin McCarthy was ousted after eight Republicans sided with Democrats to vacate the speaker. The motion was initially brought forward by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) soon after the House was able to pass a resolution avoiding a government shutdown.

Jordan has struggled in the last week to convince moderate Republicans to support him so he gain the 217 necessary votes to become speaker. He told reporters on Capitol Hill on Thursday that he plans on continuing to run for speaker and reversed his decision to support Rep. Patrick McHenry’s (R-NC) elevation to temporary speaker.

“So I’ll just say this. We made we made the pitch to members on the resolution as a way to lower the temperature and get back to work. We decided that wasn’t where we’re going to go,” Jordan said while vowing to continue speaking with his colleagues who voted against him.

“I’m still running for speaker and I plan to go to the floor and get the votes and win this race,” he added. “But I want to go talk with a few of my colleagues. Particularly, I want to talk with the 20 individuals who voted against me so that we can move forward and begin to work for the American people.”

Moderate Republicans and Democrats have opposed Jordan’s speaker candidacy because of his close relationship with former President Donald Trump and his hardline view political positions.

Watch the full clip above via CNN.