Jordan can lose no more than four votes to be elected speaker
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EXCLUSIVE: Four of the House Republicans who voted against Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, in the House speaker race on Tuesday say they will do so again, putting Jordan in a position where he cannot lose any other GOP members and prevail.
Jordan came 17 votes short of the 217 votes needed to win the gavel after 20 GOP lawmakers voted against him on Tuesday. While more than four votes in opposition would sink Jordan on the second round, a strong improvement could still put him in a position to prevail in a succeeding round.
Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., who voted for Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., instead, has not changed his position on Jordan, his office indicated to Fox News Digital. Buck had previously expressed reservations over Jordan's support for former President Trump's 2020 election claims.
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Rep. Jim Jordan chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is running for House Speaker (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Another GOP lawmaker, Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., has sworn to keep voting for ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on the House floor. His spokesperson said his mind remains unchanged on Wednesday morning, and Gimenez told Fox News Digital himself that he was now supportive of a GOP push to temporarily empower interim Speaker Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., to pass legislation while House Republicans work to agree on a candidate.
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A spokesperson for Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., pointed Fox News Digital to comments the freshman Republican made on CNN also supporting the McHenry effort. LaLota cast his vote on Tuesday for former New York GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin.
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., is also still voting against Jordan on Wednesday, his spokesperson told Fox News Digital. He voted for Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., is among those calling for former Speaker McCarthy to return
House lawmakers are voting again on Wednesday. Jordan and his allies have been speaking with holdouts, but it's not clear yet how much progress was made.
At least one of the 20, Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., told reporters on Tuesday that he would vote for Jordan on the second ballot.
Rep. Ken Buck is also expected to vote against Jordan on Wednesday (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images)
But Jordan also risks even more turning against him — even supporters like Freedom Caucus Chair Scott Perry, R-Pa., expect Jordan to lose votes on the second round.
"Just so there’s no surprises: Jordan will likely have FEWER votes today than yesterday — as I expected. This is the fight — which Jim Jordan represents — to end the status quo, and it ain’t easy…Stay strong and keep praying," Perry wrote on X.
Elizabeth Elkind is a reporter for Fox News Digital focused on Congress as well as the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and politics. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to
