Jake Tapper Is So Over the Speakership Drama: ‘It’s Not Even Particularly Interesting’

The speakership drama in the House of Representatives is testing the limits of Jake Tapper’s patience.

On Wednesday for the second day in a row, the House held a fruitless vote to elect Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) as speaker, as he received fewer votes than he did on Tuesday. The word on Capitol Hill is a third vote would also not elevate him to the post. This comes a week after the Republican conference nominated Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), who did not have the votes and withdrew his nomination before a floor vote.

The mess comes two weeks after eight Republicans joined 208 Democrats to vote to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as speaker.

“Republicans just need to rally around a candidate,” Tapper said to CNN’s Manu Raju. “Why are they so dysfunctional? I mean, [ex-] Speaker McCarthy can blame it on Democrats all he wants, but he’s the majority party. It’s time to govern. It’s time to rally around a candidate. It does not appear that Jim Jordan is that candidate. What’s the problem?”

“One, you have those hardliners who initially ousted Kevin McCarthy who want their candidate in the speakership,” Raju answered. “They don’t trust the people in leadership like Congressman Steve Scalise, the House majority leader who initially was nominated to replace Kevin McCarthy but faced opposition from many of those same skeptics. Then you have those folks who are aligned with Kevin McCarthy, aligned with Steve Scalise, who absolutely do not want to reward what they consider bad behavior, to elevate Jim Jordan, saying that is absolutely counter to what they are as Republicans by playing by the rules.”

Raju went on to report there is “so much ill will” among House Republicans.

“Yeah, it’s not normal,” Tapper replied. “And frankly, it’s not even particularly interesting.”

Watch above via CNN.