House Republicans are dumping ice water on Rep. Jim Jordan’s nascent bid for speaker, charging that the rebellious Ohio conservative hasn’t cultivated the relationships or stature to be a serious candidate.
Jordan announced Friday that will consider a bid in November if Republicans hold the majority in the midterm. But his GOP colleagues are skeptical at best, and at worst, mock the notion that the founding member of the House Freedom Caucus could garner the support needed to win a senior leadership post. Jordan, an antagonist, hasn’t laid a political foundation for advancement by supporting, through fundraising and legislation, a broad ideological cross-section of the House GOP majority.
“I would have a hard time supporting Jim for speaker,” said Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y. “He’s a nice guy, but the Freedom Caucus has been the main source of our problems.”
Despite his popularity within the Freedom Caucus, Jordan has issues among many of the rank-and-file members and Republican leadership. One being his lack of support for other members of the caucus, something that has helped House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., as he has raised $40 million for the National Republican Congressional Committee and criss-crossed the country in support of candidates.
Along with Ryan, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., the top two candidates to replace Ryan, are prolific fundraisers. Scalise announced Thursday that he raised $3 million in the first three months of 2018, including $1 million for the NRCC.
“I don’t think Jim Jordan realizes there are more than 20 members of Congress. The guy has the political instincts of a refrigerator,” said one GOP operative. “Jim has a better chance of wearing a sport coat than he does becoming speaker.”
“Jordan has no history of being helpful to members nor does he have a history of being able to raise money even for his own campaign,” added one former GOP House aide. “Jordan is a nice guy, but he is not respected in the GOP conference.”
This is not the first time Jordan has flirted with a run for the top spot. Anticipating a loss by President Trump in 2016, Jordan had planned a stealth run before quietly deciding against it after the president’s shocking victory and subsequent backing of Speaker Paul Ryan.
[Opinion: Jim Jordan can’t win, but Kevin McCarthy can lose the race for speaker of the House]
Jordan’s speaker bid is viewed as a way for the Freedom Caucus to get a foot inside of GOP leadership and expand its influence past its voting bloc of three dozen conservatives. Some of their Republican colleagues, however, believe it’s time for the caucus to put up or shut up by having Jordan or one of their leading members run for a leadership post.
“Run! It’s one thing to talk about running and to talk about getting votes and to talk about having leverage. It’s another thing to run and see how few votes you may get,” said one GOP member of Congress. “You give me any of the leaders of the Freedom Caucus putting their name to run for any spot in leadership right now, I think they would be terribly surprised how few votes they would get.”
Jordan dismisses the notion that a run would be about leverage. Rather, it would be about, as he frequently puts it, doing the work of the American people.
“That’s not the point. That’s not the focus. That’s not even a question that should be asked about at this moment,” Jordan told reporters Friday. “We’re so far from that. The next six months are about maintaining the majority, and the way we do that is to do the things we told them we were going to do.”
If Republicans hold the House in November, it will likely be by a small margin, giving the Freedom Caucus more of a say within the House GOP conference.
Nevertheless, the issue comes down to governing for most Republicans, which many say the Freedom Caucus is unable to do to pass nonpartisan legislation.
“Governing is difficult, so if they do find themselves in that position it will be interesting to see how they actually get to yes on some things and govern,” said Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.
Susan Ferrechio contributed to this report.
