Jordan Backs Patrick McHenry as Super-Temporary Speaker [UPDATED]

He might prefer McDeath.

WaPo:

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) will not seek an additional speaker vote Thursday, and he will back a plan to give Rep. Patrick T. McHenry (R-N.C.), the temporary speaker, additional powers, according to multiple people who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the situation. After two rounds of votes, a group of Republicans had made clear that Jordan did not have enough support to win the speaker’s gavel. With House functions at a standstill, lawmakers can now consider a proposal to expand McHenry’s powers.

and

Rep. Mark Molinaro (R-N.Y.), who twice voted for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), told reporters he’s “hopeful” Jordan supports the effort to empower the temporary speaker to move legislation through the House.

“I think that would go a long way to, sort of, resetting where we are, de-escalating the situation and most importantly, getting us back to work,” Molinaro said.

and

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said she’s absolutely opposed to the resolution to empower Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick T. McHenry (R-N.C.) and believes it’s a mistake for Rep. Jim Jordan to back it.

Greene said it’s time for the GOP to stop the “never” attitude. “The ‘Never Trump,’ the ‘Never Kevin McCarthy,’ the ‘Never Steve Scalise,’ the ‘Never Jim Jordan’ is only working against each other, which is working against our voters and working against the country,” she said. “And I really want to see us people put down their egos.”

and

Rep. John Rutherford (R-Fla.), who has voted against Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), said Republicans may have no other choice but to empower Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick T. McHenry (R-N.C.) to move legislation through the House, if Jordan does not do the “honorable thing” and step down as the Republican speaker designee amid this stalemate.

Rutherford added, “If it takes another two months, I’ll still be voting against him.”

“Look,” Rutherford said. “[Rep.] Steve Scalise [R-La.] beat him in a head-to-head race in the conference, and he refused to accept the outcome of that race. He broke the rules, didn’t follow the majority vote, and now he wants us to.”

Apparently, Jordan realized that he’s not going to win the Speakership any time soon. He has not formally withdrawn from the race but it’s clear he has a pile of enemies in the Republican Caucus. At some point, he’ll realize he’s never going to be Speaker, allowing some other candidate to emerge.

All the signs point to Democrats backing allowing McHenry to assume most of the powers of Speaker in order to get the government back in operation, so it really doesn’t matter what Greene and the other wackos want. It sure doesn’t seem like McHenry was keen on the job, though.

UPDATE (1556): It appears that the caucus overwhelmingly rejected the compromise and Jordan will now put himself up for yet another vote this afternoon. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Kathy says:

    Conventional wisdom is there’s nothing as permanent as a temporary tax, fee, or surcharge.

    What of a temporary speaker, the highest power in the House and third in the line of succession?

    1
  2. MarkedMan says:

    If this happens, I hope the Dems can get some concessions for backing him, like Democratic bills coming to the floor with straight up and down votes.

    1
  3. Kudos for the subtitle. I laughed.

    3
  4. Mister Bluster says:

    I suspect that I am missing something. But why doesn’t McHenry run for speaker?
    Are Democrats afraid that he will make them all vacate their offices and move to somewhere across the Potomac?

  5. al Ameda says:

    Jordan Backs Patrick McHenry as Super-Temporary Speaker
    He might prefer McDeath.

    My 1st thought was, if Jordan supports this, it can’t be good.
    My 2nd thought was, why not vote McHenry to be Speaker until the Gang of 8 tires of him?

  6. Matt Bernius says:

    It sure doesn’t seem like McHenry was keen on the job, though.

    He stated in the past he had no interest in the position–especially with the debt ceiling looming. They touch on this in the Lawfare episode on this topic:

    https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-lawfare-podcast-what-the-heck-is-a-speaker-pro-tempore

  7. Not the IT Dept. says:

    Jordan’s in favor of McHenry staying on for even a short while? Kiss of death. Stick a fork in him, Patrick’s done.

    1
  8. SC_Birdflyte says:

    @Kathy: Yeah, the constitutional implications of having a caretaker second in line to be president ought to cause a sudden deep intake of breath in Washington.

    1
  9. Jen says:

    Dr. Joyner’s subtitle game has leveled up lately, nicely done!

    Headline I just received from The Hill: GOP opposition builds to empowering McHenry as temporary Speaker.

    It’d be easier to herd cats wired on coke than get the current Republican House members to agree on literally anything.

  10. DrDaveT says:

    @Kathy:

    What of a temporary speaker, the highest power in the House and third in the line of succession?

    I am guessing that the powers Congress can delegate to a temporary Speaker do not include being third in line of succession.

    1
  11. Just nutha ignint cracker says:

    @Not the IT Dept.: Fortunately, it appears that McHenry isn’t phased by the potential trap because he doesn’t want the job. Of course, we won’t really know that to be true until he does a Sherman (“if nominated, I will not run; if elected…”). He might only be playing “twist my arm.”

  12. ptfe says:

    House rules are weird, man. Since he was designated Speaker pro tempore by McCarthy on his way out the door, McHenry has limited powers. If the House elects him Speaker pro temp, he gains some authority:

    Absent unanimous consent or specific House approval, a designated
    Speaker pro tempore may not:
    0 Administer the oath of office to a Member-elect. Deschler Ch 6 § 12.8.
    0 Announce appointments made by the Speaker pursuant to law. 96–1, Jan.
    31, 1979, p 1511.
    0 Appoint conferees or make appointments of additional conferees. Deschler
    Ch 6 §§ 12.9, 12.10.
    0 Appoint Members to attend a funeral. Deschler Ch 6 § 12.14.
    0 Spread upon the Journal a veto message from the President. Deschler Ch
    6 § 12.11

    (Wonder which funeral prompted the second to last one…)

    @DrDaveT: Regardless, the elected post is “Speaker pro tempore”, which isn’t actually a Speaker (a post which has been vacated). For that, the controlling law is the Presidential Succession Act – which specifically calls out this scenario!

    (b) If, at the time when under subsection (a) of this section a Speaker is to begin the discharge of the powers and duties of the office of President, there is no Speaker, or the Speaker fails to qualify as Acting President, then the President pro tempore of the Senate shall, upon his resignation as President pro tempore and as Senator, act as President.

  13. Kathy says:

    UPDATE

    One of the late night comics said yesterday Gym wants to lose unanimously.

    1
  14. Just nutha ignint cracker says:

    UPDATE (1556): It appears that the caucus overwhelmingly rejected the compromise and Jordan will now put himself up for yet another vote this afternoon. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

    YESSSSSSSS!!! The GQP in a nutshell–redefining dysfunctional!

  15. Kathy says:

    So many McSpeaker joke we won’t get to make now…

    1
  16. @Kathy: It’s a McShame.

    2