House Republicans need to unite and "rally around" Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, to become the next speaker, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., told Newsmax on Thursday.
"We need to put this to rest," Donalds told "Rob Schmitt Tonight," following Jordan's announcement that he will seek a third vote on the speakership. Jordan has been meeting with 22 GOP holdouts throughout the day to try to earn their votes.
However, Donalds said, "It is tough sledding up here on Capitol Hill. I'm not sure the outcome of that meeting that occurred ... I think coming out of that meeting, there was not the talk of unity.
"Jim's got to continue to work the phones and work around the clock to bring this to a close. But I think he can do that, and I'm just ready to vote for him to be speaker so we can get back to work," Donalds continued.
Donalds also pushed back on the notion that the speaker fight will be a political boon to Democrats heading into an election year, saying that "the Democrats and Joe Biden have proven that they are the master of every disaster that is facing America — and the world, for that matter."
He added that when Jordan becomes speaker, "we're going to get back to work very, very fast and expose the disaster that is Joe Biden's presidency."
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Jeremy Frankel ✉
Jeremy Frankel is a Newsmax writer reporting on news and politics.
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