House Republicans are adjourning for the weekend after their designated candidate for speaker, Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, appears to be well short of the support needed for a chamber-wide vote to give him the gavel.
It’s the second time GOP lawmakers have gathered to pick a speaker-designate in three days. Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., won an internal vote on Wednesday but stepped back from the race on Thursday night after it became clear he did not have enough support for a House floor vote.
Jordan won 124 votes against his rival in the race, Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., who won 81. It was followed by a second secret ballot vote on whether lawmakers would support Jordan on the House floor, in which he won 152 votes.
A GOP candidate for speaker would need to reach 217 votes to win a House-wide vote with no Democratic support.
This story is breaking and will be updated…
