House Republicans must "get their act together" and decide on a speaker or give Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., more powers, as Rep. Jim Jordan could get even fewer votes in Wednesday's balloting, says former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
"My sense from talking to people in the House tonight in the next vote, [Jordan] might actually get fewer – not more – votes," Gingrich commented Tuesday night on Sean Hannity's Fox News show, reports The Hill. "If that happens, we can't sit around and suck our thumbs and hope the world will wait until the House Republicans get their act together."
He pointed out that "Every day we're closer to the end of the continuing resolution. Every day we're close to a huge aid package for Israel that has to be passed. Every day we are failing to do the investigations we need to be doing."
On Tuesday, 20 Republicans voted against Jordan, and Gingrich said he would be fine if it takes 15 rounds of votes to elect the Ohio Republican, as it did for former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. However, he said he has "no faith" that the people who oppose Jordan will change their minds.
Congress can't pass legislation until a speaker is named, but still, "the world is moving," said Gingrich.
Tuesday, he wrote a column saying he believes McHenry should be given new powers, considering a looming government shutdown date next month and the Israel aid package.
He also told Fox News that House Republicans have already seen in Jordan and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., the two best candidates to replace McCarthy, who was voted out earlier this month.
Scalise was the initial nominee for the speaker's seat but dropped out last week saying that he would not have enough votes to be confirmed. Jordan must get 217 votes to win as speaker.
Unless Republicans can "get in a room and get everybody to agree," Jordan's chances to become speaker are slim, Gingrich said.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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