Jordan Loses 4 GOP Votes, Gains 2 More; Next Round Thursday

In a closely watched vote in Congress' lower chamber, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, fell short of the 217 votes needed to secure a seat as the House speaker, according to The Hill.

On Wednesday's vote, 199 Republicans supporting Jordan, with 22 votes scattered among other candidates. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., received 212 votes, all from Democrats. The next round of voting is scheduled for Thursday.

Notably, six Republican representatives changed their votes from the previous day's ballot. Four of them, who had previously supported Jordan, shifted their allegiance to other candidates, while two representatives — who had not previously supported Jordan — voted in his favor.

The Republican representatives who altered their votes against Jordan were as follows:

1. Florida Rep. Vern Buchanan, who cast his vote for Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.
2. Georgia Rep. Drew Ferguson, who voted for Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.
3. Iowa Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who supported Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas.
4. Minnesota Rep. Pete Stauber, who voted for Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark.

Conversely, two Republican representatives switched to support Jordan during the second ballot: California Rep. Doug LaMalfa, who had initially supported former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz, who voted for Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. on the first ballot.

Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., who had not been present during Tuesday's vote, cast his vote in favor of Jordan. One interesting development in the speaker race — as the rumblings of the United States entering another decades long war in the Middle East overtake Washington — a House Democrat, Rep. Brad Sherman of California, floated the idea that former President George W. Bush should get a shot at ruling the House, according to The Washington Times.

Nonetheless, among the 22 votes going to other Republican candidates, seven were in support of Scalise, with five for McCarthy, and the remaining scattered throughout:

1. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., who supported McCarthy.
2. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., who cast his vote for Donalds.
3. Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., who voted for Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn.
4. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Ore., who supported McCarthy.
5. Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, R-N.Y., who voted for former Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y.
6. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., who cast his vote for Scalise.
7. Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Texas, who opted to vote for Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Calif.
8. Rep. Drew Ferguson, R-Ga., who chose to vote for Scalise.
9. Rep. Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., who voted for Zeldin.
10. Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez, R-Fla., who supported McCarthy.
11. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, who voted for Scalise.
12. Rep. Granger, who lent her support to Scalise.
13. Rep. John James, R-Mich., who supported former Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mich.
14. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., who cast his vote for former Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
15. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., who opted to vote for McCarthy.
16. Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., who voted for Zeldin.
17. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who supported McCarthy.
18. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, who lent her support to Granger.
19. Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., who chose to vote for Scalise.
20. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, who cast his vote for Scalise.
21. Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., who voted for Westerman.
22. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., who supported Scalise.

• Matt Gaetz to Newsmax: Support for Jordan Growing
• If Jordan Is Out, What Next in 'Speaker War?'