Jim Jordan Faces Difficult Choice

Representative Jim Jordan may have to change his combative nature and risk alienating sections of his own party if he wants to succeed as House speaker, according to political experts.

On Thursday, a third round of voting is expected after Jordan failed to gain enough support from the House Republicans to replace Kevin McCarthy as the speaker in the previous two ballots.

The Ohio Republican and founder of the hardline Freedom Caucus is struggling to win the support of more moderate Republicans in order to get the necessary votes, with 22 GOP lawmakers voting for someone else in Wednesday's ballot.

For years, Jordan has painted himself as a disruptive member of Congress as shown with his attacks on Democrats, members of his own party, his role in trying to prevent the certification of the 2020 presidential election result and his refusal to comply with a congressional subpoena about the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Christopher Devine, an associate professor of political science at the University of Dayton in Ohio, said it is difficult to envision Jordan being able to flip enough GOP votes in order for him to get elected House speaker, having burned too many bridges in his own party.

Even if he does, the question remains as to whether the hardline Republican will be able to avoid conflicts and operate in an establishment position in a way that is best for Congress.

"Perhaps in this new role, he would be more willing to make compromises than in the past, as he works with a diverse Republican majority, as well as the Senate and the White House," Devine told Newsweek. "But if not, then we can expect to see greater dysfunction in Washington, as the House itself fails to pass budgets and other important legislation, or passes more extreme measures that stall in the Senate or fail to get the President's signature.

"The bottom line is that a Speaker Jordan would have to choose: Does he continue to be a disruptive force in leadership, standing on principle while failing to get much if anything done, or does he become the type of institutional leader that he has always criticized, someone who is willing to make compromises in order to get things done?"

Newsweek reached out to Jordan's office via email for comment.

Danielle Vinson, a professor of politics and international affairs at Furman University in South Carolina, suggested that Jordan becoming speaker would be challenging in many ways, especially as the Ohio congressman may be a crucial part of negotiations with Democrats to get some House bills cleared, or avoid a potential government shutdown that's looming in November.

"How much do you fight for the policies you want rather than compromising and settling for what you can realistically get," Vinson told Newsweek. "Any speaker who passes legislation that can pass in the Senate and be signed by the president is going to have problems with the part of the caucus that wants to fight.

"Unfortunately, the job of the speaker is by definition about getting the best deal they can get for their party, but ultimately also acknowledging the practical realities of governing. Someone who must govern can't just shut the government down if they don't get the cuts they want. So, whoever becomes speaker will have to decide if they want to make the right happy or if they want to govern."

As well as his combative nature, there have also been questions as to whether Jordan deserves the position of speaker, a role that is second in line to the presidency behind the vice president, due to his congressional record.

Despite first getting elected in 2006, Jordan has never put forward a bill that has been signed into law, or even passed in the House. After Jordan won the Republican nomination for speaker on October 13, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that Jordan has never signed a bill into law during his congressional career because "his focus has not been on the American people" but rather "peddling lies and conspiracy theories and driving division amongst the American people."

Vinson said Jordan has experience in "fighting and refusing to compromise" rather than doing the work of governing, an issue he is sure to face if elected speaker.

"He has few, if any, meaningful relationships with Democrats and none that I'm aware of among the Democratic leadership," Vinson said. "Would he really be able to compromise for the good of the Republican members who represent districts Biden won or for the good of the country?

"And if he embraces [former President Donald] Trump, he's just giving Democratic candidates in those Biden districts a campaign message; they will be quick to link a Speaker Jordan's message to all House Republicans."

David B. Cohen, a professor of political science at the University of Akron in Ohio, said that Jordan is trying to become the most powerful figure in the House despite having "little leadership experience" for the role while noting his sparse legislation record.

"We often talk of workhorses and show horses in Congress. Workhorses are determined legislators who work hard behind the scenes to put coalitions together to get things done and pass meaningful legislation," Cohen told Newsweek.

"Show horses, on the other hand, spend little time grinding away on legislation and are far more interested in self-promotion and moving up the ladder of power and prominence. Jordan is the very definition of a show horse."

Correction 10/20/2023, 03:05 a.m. ET: This article has been amended to correct the spelling of Danielle Vinson's name.