Politics

(WASHINGTON) — After House Republicans twice rejected Rep. Jim Jordan for speaker this week, he pressed his case ahead of a third vote Friday morning.

Jordan, a conservative firebrand, staunch Donald Trump loyalist, House Judiciary Committee chair and founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, received his party’s nomination last week after House Majority Leader Steve Scalise bowed out of the race.

The Ohio congressman faces an uphill battle to secure the 217 votes he needs to win the gavel.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Oct 20, 8:55 AM EDT
Jordan presses his case ahead of 3rd vote Friday morning

Ohio Republican Jim Jordan is pushing ahead in his bid for speaker, telling reporters that he believes House Republicans must elect one to get on with the American people’s business as he signals additional rounds of votes could continue through the weekend.

“There’s been multiple rounds of votes for speaker before we all know that,” Jordan said, alluding to the 15 rounds of votes last January to elect Kevin McCarthy as speaker. “I just know that we need to get a speaker as soon as possible so we can get to work for the American people.”

“Our plan this weekend is to get the speaker elected to the House of Representatives as soon as possible so we can help the American people,” Jordan later added.

Jordan said he hopes that the Republicans will elect him today, so that lawmakers can get the House open “as soon as possible.”

“People I think are starting to doubt and wonder about their government and about where our nation is headed,” Jordan said following two failed votes earlier this week – and Thursday he did not even attempt a vote. “I think the American people are thirsty for change. I think they are hungry for leadership.”

“We got important work to do,” Jordan said, ticking through a list of projects he would like to address as speaker. “In short, we need to get to work for the American people. We need to do what we said we were going to do. We need to do what we told them we’re going to do when they elected us and put us at office and frankly we can’t do that if the House isn’t open.”

-ABC’s John Parkinson

Oct 19, 7:11 PM EDT
Jordan’s office says the third vote will be Friday

The House will vote Friday at 10 a.m. on a third speaker ballot, according to Jordan’s spokesman.

Oct 19, 5:03 PM EDT
Jordan, leaving meeting, says there will be a 3rd vote after all

Leaving the closed-door meeting with Republicans, Jordan said that the House will vote again on his speaker bid for a third time.

When asked about timing, he said he wanted to talk to the holdouts who are opposing him before moving forward.

Oct 19, 2:55 PM EDT
Jordan, leaving meeting, says there will be a 3rd vote after all

Leaving the closed door meeting with Republicans, Jordan said that the House will vote again on his speaker bid for a third time.

When asked about timing, he said he wanted to talk to the holdouts who are opposing him before moving forward.

Oct 19, 2:52 PM EDT
McCarthy shouted at Matt Gaetz in GOP meeting

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy shouted at Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida as the party met behind closed doors. Gaetz led the charge against McCarthy, successfully rallying a small group of Republican hard-liners to remove him.

“The whole country is screaming at Matt Gaetz,” McCarthy said.

Oct 19, 2:27 PM EDT
Plan to temporarily empower McHenry appears to be nonstarter

After more than three hours behind closed doors, House Republicans don’t seem to have a plan on how to move forward with the speakership.

The meeting is still ongoing, but several Republicans emerged in the last few minutes to tell reporters that the proposal to temporarily empower Patrick McHenry is now a nonstarter, lacking the support of a majority of Republicans.

“The best thing for Republicans to do is to elect a speaker,” former Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters.

Absent a plan to empower McHenry, Republicans said Jordan told members he will reevaluate his campaign for speaker after talking to some of his critics. Several Republicans spoke up in the meeting and said Jordan should suspend his campaign given the lack of support.

-ABC’s Benjamin Siegel

Oct 19, 12:21 PM EDT
Some House conservatives slam proposal to empower temporary speaker and delay vote on Jordan

As Republicans continue to debate how best to move forward given Jordan’s impasse, some of his top allies are bashing the idea of elevating Patrick McHenry with Democratic support until January to get the House through funding Israel/Ukraine aid and avoiding a shutdown.

“This is the wrong thing to do. Our voters worked very hard to give us the majority,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., shared his opposition.

“I’m against speaker lite,” Gaetz said. “It’s constitutional desecration.”

Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., told ABC Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott he doesn’t back the plan and predicted that more than half the GOP would oppose it.

Even if the pragmatic Republicans supporting Jordan support the plan, it will need Democratic votes. The exact number could be fluid.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has said Republicans must take up government funding and Israel/Ukraine aid. His third demand — allowing “bipartisan bills” to the floor — could be a nonstarter for many Republicans depending on how it’s construed.

McHenry kept his cards close entering the meeting about whether he supports the plan.

“I never asked for additional powers,” he said.

He is expected to gavel the House into session shortly and then recess as both parties continue their private meetings.

Oct 19, 11:56 AM EDT
What Jordan not holding 3rd vote could mean for speakership quest

If Jordan doesn’t hold a third vote in his speakership bid, and instead backs additional powers for temporary speaker McHenry, it may not mean Jordan is out of the race.

The move will allow Jordan to hold on to the “designee” title and potentially keep pursuing votes from his fellow members, but in the meantime give the House a chance to move forward with important duties such as avoiding an impending government shutdown and aid to countries at war.

On his way to the Thursday morning meeting with his colleagues, Jordan wouldn’t directly say what he planned to do but pledged to offer an update after he heard from fellow members.

“I’m not gonna get into any details. I think it’s important to speak to our colleagues first. And then once conference is over, I’ll be happy to come out and stand there and not make you walk backwards and talk to you then,” he said. “But right now, I’m gonna go talk to my colleagues.”

Jordan had also previously said he was hoping to “bring the conference together” and acknowledged they were looking at “all kinds of options,” including expanding the powers of McHenry and allowing the House to get back to business without an elected GOP speaker.

-ABC’s Katherine Faulders and Rachel Scott

Oct 19, 11:57 AM EDT
Jordan expected to announce he will not hold 3rd vote for speakership

After two failed votes so far, Jordan is expected to soon tell his GOP colleagues that he won’t hold a third vote for the role of speaker and instead will throw his weight behind expanding powers for the Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, according to two sources familiar with the decision.

-ABC’S Katherine Faulders and Rachel Scott

Oct 19, 10:17 AM EDT
Republicans expected to meet Thursday morning ahead of possible vote

House Republicans are expected to meet behind closed doors in the Capitol basement at 11 a.m. Thursday to discuss the speaker race situation ahead of a possible floor vote later in the day.

A vote could take place on the floor as early at noon, but the exact timing — and details of the vote — haven’t been set.

Oct 18, 7:32 PM EDT
Republicans say they were threatened after not voting for Jordan

Nearly half a dozen GOP members who have voted against Jordan said they or their offices were threatened or harassed — including, in the case of one lawmaker, with “credible death threats.”

“No American should accost another for their beliefs. We condemn all threats against our colleagues, and it is imperative that we come together. Stop. It’s abhorrent,” Jordan said in a statement on X.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez of Florida told ABC News that his office and staff have been receiving calls to try to pressure him to back Jordan.

“He [Jordan] told me he wasn’t behind it and he has asked people to stop. If you have asked people to stop it, why haven’t they listened to you?” Gimenez said.

Oct 18, 7:56 PM EDT
McHenry says he’ll give Jordan ‘as long as he needs’ to clinch speakership

Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., said he plans on giving Jordan “as long as he needs” to garner the support necessary to clinch the speakership.

“Look, Speaker-designee Jordan is working with the conference to get his votes. It’s a tight time frame. But look — he has the most votes in the conference. We’ve had two ballots and I think he has the support of the conference. I think we are going to keep working,” McHenry told reporters.

McHenry added that House Republicans didn’t “have plans to” hold a conference meeting Wednesday evening after Jordan failed to win the gavel for the second time in two days.

Oct 18, 4:53 PM EDT
Next House votes happening Thursday afternoon

Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s office said the House will not take any further votes Wednesday. The next votes are expected Thursday no earlier than 12 p.m., Emmer said.

That means the soonest the next speaker vote could happen would be Thursday afternoon.

Oct 18, 4:16 PM EDT
House will not vote again for speaker on Wednesday, next vote possible Thursday

The House is not expected to take another vote for speaker on Wednesday, sources tell ABC News.

Jordan told reporters that another vote for speaker could come Thursday.

Sources tell ABC News that Jordan has also pushed for a vote on a resolution empowering Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, but it’s unclear if the GOP leadership team will agree to put that on the floor while Jordan is still an active candidate for speaker, and while other Republicans may be waiting in the wings to make a play for the gavel if he exits the race.

-ABC’s Benjamin Siegel

Oct 18, 3:54 PM EDT
Rep. Barr jokes with Capitol tourists: ‘Any of you want to sign up?’

More than two hours have passed and there’s little progress to report with the House still in recess. Still, there was a moment of levity with tourists amid the tense and chaotic speakership battle.

Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., just popped into the chamber and noticed about 20 visitors seated patiently in the gallery and shouted, “We’re looking for a speaker. Any of you want to sign up?”

The crowd laughed and someone shouted a question — asking him whether lawmakers are coming back for another round of votes for speaker.

He said he thought that was the plan and then walked over to the back of the chamber to chat with the visitors.

“Where are you from?” Barr asked, to which several visitors responded they were from South Carolina, Pittsburgh and Virginia.

Barr, who was the only member in the Chamber during this interaction, mingled for a few minutes before excusing himself.

“Thanks for coming,” he said. “Sorry we can’t show you any more right now.”

Oct 18, 3:28 PM EDT
Breaking down Jordan’s performance, GOP defectors

Jordan received one fewer vote in the second round than he did on Tuesday, receiving 199 votes.

Jordan picked up three members, but lost four others.

Seven Republicans voted for House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who initially won the party’s nomination for speaker but bowed out of the race last week. They were: Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, Drew Ferguson of Georgia, Tony Gonzales of Texas, Kay Granger of Texas, John Rutherford of Florida, Mike Simpson of Idaho and Steve Womack of Arkansas.

Five voted for McCarthy: Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Lori Chavez DeRemer of Oregon, Carlos Gimenez of Florida, Jennifer Kiggans of Virginia and Mike Lawler of New York.

Other Republicans who voted for someone else include Reps Vern Buchanan of Florida, Ken Buck of Ohio, Jake Ellzey of Kansas, Mary Miller-Meeks of Iowa, John James of Michigan, Mike Kelley of Pennsylvania and Pete Stauber of Minnesota.

Oct 18, 3:21 PM EDT
Centrists, institutionalists block Jordan’s path

The 22 Republicans who voted against Jordan make up a group of centrists and institutionalists who show no signs of budging anytime soon.

The group of detractors cited an array of reasons for voting against Jordan, including refusing to reward the lawmakers who voted to oust McCarthy, bristling against the pressure campaign from Jordan’s allies and rising worries over Jordan’s ideological rigidity, including his support for efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

“It made us mad, and it backfires,” Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said Wednesday on Newsmax of the pressure campaign. “Some of the younger folks, maybe that works. But someone like me … you win us over with an argument that makes sense. You’re going to have to convince us. And threatening us does not work.”

Oct 18, 1:39 PM EDT
Jordan suffers 2nd defeat

Jordan has officially lost a second vote in his bid for speaker.

The Ohio Republican received 199 votes. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries received 212 votes. Twenty-two Republicans cast their ballot for someone else.

Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry gaveled the House into recess.

3:24
Jim Jordan loses more votes in second round of voting for House speaker

Oct 18, 1:12 PM EDT
GOP likely to meet behind closed doors after vote

Republicans will most likely go into a closed-door conference meeting, which is expected to include discussions about a potential short-term solution, among other things.

A conference meeting hasn’t officially been noticed to Republicans yet, but sources said that’s the next expected step after the vote closes.

-ABC’s Katherine Faulders

Oct 18, 1:01 PM EDT
Republican opposition to Jordan rises

Jordan is facing even more opposition in this second round, with 22 Republicans so far casting their ballot for someone else.

On Tuesday, he had 20 GOP defectors.

The vote is still ongoing.

Oct 18, 12:26 PM EDT
Jordan on track for another defeat

The vote is ongoing, but already 10 Republicans have voted against Jordan, with that number expected to rise.

Oct 18, 12:18 PM EDT
Second vote for speaker is underway

A roll call vote is now underway.

Each member is being called on alphabetically to voice who they want to see succeed McCarthy. Jordan can only afford to lose four House Republicans before a fifth upsets his bid.

Oct 18, 12:51 PM EDT
Rep. Tom Cole nominates Jordan for speaker

Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole stood to nominate Jordan for the second ballot vote, saying he has what it takes to be speaker.

“He doesn’t dissemble. He simply tells you straight up, ‘this is what I believe,’ ‘this is why I think it’s the right thing to do for this country and that’s why I’m going to try to accomplish and work with you any way I can to do it,'” Cole said.

Cole commended Jordan’s work on committees and his stances on spending, immigration and more.

Cole also invoked the terror attacks in Israel, stating Israel is within its right to punish Hamas, which received a standing ovation from Republicans and Democrats.

“In a moment of crisis, and we are in a moment of crisis, we should come together to act,” Cole said. “And we know we can’t do that without a speaker of the House.”

Democrats once again nominated Hakeem Jeffries for speaker.

Oct 18, 11:44 AM EDT
Jordan: ‘We got to decide today’ on path forward

Jordan told reporters the American people deserve to have an answer today on what lies ahead.

“Look, I think we got to decide today. Are we going to have a Republican speaker … or is the body going to adopt this resolution with the speaker pro tempore?” Jordan said, referencing an effort to empower Rep. Patrick McHenry to conduct House business.

“I think both questions should be called,” Jordan said. “Let’s get an answer. We’ve been at this two weeks, the American people deserve to have their government functioning.”

Oct 18, 11:14 AM EDT
Republicans poised to reject Jordan on second ballot

Jordan is poised to lose Wednesday on a second ballot on the election of a speaker, but the Ohio Republican is showing no signs of giving up.

While Jordan has continued to attempt to sway holdout Republicans, only Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California has announced a change of heart following the first ballot. LaMalfa had initially voted for his fellow Californian, McCarthy — and now says he’ll support Jordan instead of the former speaker on the second ballot.

But the 19 other Republicans who bucked Jordan in the first round have not publicly shifted their stance yet, and Jordan is actually expected to lose additional lawmakers on the second ballot.

Oct 18, 10:19 AM EDT
Jordan could lose more Republicans on second ballot

A few Republican holdouts are reluctant to even take another meeting with Jordan or return his phone calls ahead of the second ballot set for Wednesday morning, sources tell ABC News.

By forcing another vote, Jordan runs the risk of losing even more Republicans on the second ballot. It’s unclear just how many gave him assurances that they’d only support him on the first round.

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters that talks between Democrats and Republicans have accelerated on an alternative plan to get the House back to business. Sources say Jeffries floated the idea of elevating a temporary speaker for a limited time so the House can do its work — a signal that a growing number of Democrats could support this plan.

Most Republicans expect the opposition against Jordan to grow Wednesday.

Oct 18, 9:42 AM EDT
If Jordan’s can’t win, one Republican wants to empower Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry

Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, one of the few remaining moderates in the GOP majority, could bring up a motion to empower temporary speaker Patrick McHenry if Jordan can’t lock down the votes for speaker on the second ballot Wednesday morning.

“After two weeks without a Speaker of the House and no clear candidate with 217 votes in the Republican conference, it is time to look at other viable options. By empowering Patrick McHenry as Speaker Pro Tempore we can take care of our ally Israel until a new Speaker is elected,” Joyce said in a statement.

By officially “empowering” McHenry, Republicans could give themselves a (temporary) off ramp to approve emergency aid to Israel and to fund the government to avert a shutdown next month.

It’s not clear how long Joyce is proposing to empower McHenry, or if Republicans will allow Joyce to do so, instead of letting others run for speaker if Jordan falls short. It’s likely Democrats would need to back the proposal on the House floor, too.

McHenry and his team have suggested he isn’t interested in the role.

Oct 17, 5:21 PM EDT
Next speaker vote expected Wednesday morning

The next speaker vote will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jordan said after he left a two-hour meeting in Whip Emmer’s office.

He reiterated that he is not going to drop out of the speaker battle and emphasized that he had basically the same level of support as McCarthy on his first vote in January.

Jordan said he expects to gain support in a Wednesday morning vote, mentioning Florida Rep. Gus Bilirakis, who missed today’s vote because of a family funeral. He didn’t address potential future defectors.

Oct 17, 4:52 PM EDT
What Republicans are saying about Jordan’s first-round loss

Emerging from the floor after Jordan’s failed first vote, some Republicans expressed open frustration while others remained optimistic.

“We gotta wake up and stop this nonsense. There’s real serious work to be done,” Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Meuser said.

Meuser had “direct” and “strong” conversations with GOP colleagues after the vote to try to swing them, he said. “We’ve got to understand — we’ve got to operate as a team, because if we don’t, we will lose everything.”

But he has to contend with members such as Colorado’s Ken Buck, who is staunchly anti-Jordan because of concerns he won’t support Ukraine funding and because of his role in protesting the 2020 election results.

“I am not going to vote for Jim, I just think there’s too much there at this point,” Buck told ABC News. Buck said he feels so strongly “because I just don’t think that we can win the presidential election if we have candidates and leaders in our party who won’t admit that Donald Trump lost, who won’t admit that the Republican Party wants to move forward.”

Of course, Republicans such as Meuser and others argued that not voting in a speaker will also threaten GOP victories in the next election.

“I think it absolutely casts a bad cloud over the institution and Republicans,” New York Rep. Nicole Malliotakis told ABC News.

Still others, however, were more optimistic — comparing this process to McCarthy’s and using it to argue that Jordan is on track for success.

“Do you believe that at the end of the day, it’s going to be Speaker Jordan?” ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott asked Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett.

“I do,” he replied.

-ABC’s Cheyenne Haslett

Oct 17, 4:26 PM EDT
GOP infighting continues

Jordan met with Scalise behind closed doors on Tuesday and asked for help to get the needed votes, a source told ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott. The source says Scalise wouldn’t commit to helping Jordan.

Scalise was the conference’s first choice for speaker in an internal contest last week, as he defeated Jordan 113-99. But he dropped out days later, amid opposition from holdouts who were backing Jordan.

Of the 20 Republicans who voted against Jordan in the first round, seven voted for Scalise.

Scalise cast his vote for Jordan.

Oct 17, 3:57 PM EDT
Jeffries urges GOP to join Dems in ‘finding a bipartisan path forward’

ABC News asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries if he sees Republicans forging a way out of the speakership impasse today.

“It’s not a complicated situation,” Jeffries responded. “We just need traditional Republicans to break from the extremists and join us in finding a bipartisan path forward. We’ve said it over and over and over again. We are ready, willing and able to get together and reopen the House.”

Oct 17, 3:27 PM EDT
Jordan tells ABC more members will vote for him on 2nd ballot

ABC News caught Jordan moments after he left the House chamber. He made it clear that he’s staying in the race for speaker, insisting there will be another vote tonight.

“We thought we were doing well … that we were in that area or a little more maybe, but we feel confident. We already talked to some members who are going to vote with us on the second ballot,” Jordan said as he rushed into an office.

-ABC’s Rachel Scott, Lauren Peller, Arthur Jones and John Parkinson

Oct 17, 2:49 PM EDT
Jordan’s team says expect another round of votes today

“The House needs a speaker as soon as possible,” Russell Dye, a spokesperson for Jordan, said in a statement. “Expect another round of votes today. It’s time for Republicans to come together.”

The timing of a second vote, however, remains unclear.

-ABC’s Katherine Faulders

Oct 17, 2:26 PM EDT
McCarthy says Jordan shouldn’t drop out, confident he’ll get the votes

McCarthy, the former speaker, attempted to equate Jordan’s loss to exactly what happened to him.

“Jordan had just as many votes as I had on the first one. I think the difference here is we have rules so we can sit down, talk to the other members and be able to move forward,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy lost 19 Republicans on the first ballot, while Jordan lost 20.

When asked if Jordan should drop out, McCarthy exclaimed: “No! No!”

“I saw the exact same vote that I got when I ran and I became speaker,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy said he’ll talk to Jordan and help in any way he can. When asked if he thinks Jordan will ultimately get the votes, McCarthy said “yes.”

-ABC’s Katherine Faulders

Oct 17, 2:02 PM EDT
House goes into recess

Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, after reading aloud the results of the first ballot, gaveled the chamber into recess.

“A speaker has not been elected,” McHenry said.

There will not be an immediate second vote. Lawmakers are now expected to huddle behind closed doors in conference.

Oct 17, 2:10 PM EDT
The 20 Republicans who voted against Jordan

Twenty House Republicans cast their ballot for someone other than Jordan.

Seven voted for Scalise: Reps. Tony Gonzales of Texas, Kay Granger of Texas, Mario Diaz Balart of Florida, Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, John Rutherford of Florida, Reps. Mike Simpson of Idaho and Steve Womack of Arkansas.

Six voted McCarthy: Reps. Lori Chavez DeRemer of Oregon, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Carlos Gimenez of Florida, Jennifer Kiggans of Virginia, Mike Lawler of New York and Doug LaMalfa of California.

Three voted for former New York congressman Lee Zeldin: Reps. Anthony D’Espositio, Andrew Garbarino and Nick LaLota — all members of the New York delegation.

Kansas Rep. Jake Ellzey voted for Mike Garcia of California; Colorado’s Ken Buck voted for House Majority Whip Tom Emmer; Michigan Rep. John James voted for Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole; and Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz voted for Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

Oct 17, 1:56 PM EDT
Jordan loses first round of voting

Jordan lost his first bid for the speakership. He received 200 votes, but needed at least 217 to clinch the gavel.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, nominated by Democrats, received 212 votes. Twenty lawmakers voted for someone else.

Oct 17, 1:33 PM EDT
McCarthy, ousted exactly 2 weeks ago, votes for Jordan

McCarthy, toppled by a small group of GOP hard-liners on Oct. 3, voted for Jordan to be his successor.

The moment was met with applause from the Republican side of the chamber.

But Jordan is still on track to lose on the first ballot, with 15 Republicans casting a vote for someone else.

Oct 17, 1:14 PM EDT
Jordan already falls short of vote needed

The vote is ongoing, but Jordan does not appear to have the support needed to win on the first ballot.

At least five Republicans have voted for someone else.

Two lawmakers, Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Rep. Lori Chavez-Deremer of Oregon voted for McCarthy. Anthony D’Esposito voted for former Rep. Lee Zeldin., Rep. Mario Diaz Balart of Florida voted for Steve Scalise. Rep. Jake Ellzey voted for fellow Republican Rep. Mike Garcia.

Oct 17, 1:02 PM EDT
The math behind the speaker vote

There are 432 members in attendance for the upcoming vote to elect a speaker, according to the quorum call.

That means that 217 is the majority threshold needed to win the gavel, presuming every member in attendance votes for someone by name.

Jordan can only afford to lose three votes.

The speaker vote began shortly before 1 p.m.

Oct 17, 1:00 PM EDT
Democrats nominate Hakeem Jeffries, slam Jordan’s record

Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., nominated House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for speaker.

Aguilar focused much of his remarks on Jordan’s record, noting that one of Jordan’s own colleagues once described him as a “legislative terrorist.”

“When New Yorkers were recovering from Hurricane Sandy and needed Congress to act, he said ‘no,'” Aguilar said. “When wildfires ravaged the west, destroying homes and businesses and those residents needed disaster assistance, he said ‘no.’ When the Mississippi river floods devastated the south in communities across state lines and needed Congress to act, he said ‘no.’ When our veterans were suffering from disease and dying as a result of their service to our country and Congress passed a bipartisan solution, he said ‘no.'”

Democrats seated behind Aguilar responded to each example with the chant, “He said no.”

“This body is talking about elevating a speaker nominee who has not passed a single bill in 16 years,” Aguilar said. “These are not the actions of someone interested in governing or bettering the lives of everyday Americans.”

Oct 17, 12:49 PM EDT
Stefanik nominates Jordan for speaker

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., rose to nominate Jordan for speaker. She received rounding applause from Republicans in the chamber.

“We are at a time of great crisis across America,” Stefanik said. “A time of historic challenges in this very chamber. And a time when heinous acts of terror and evil have been committed against our great ally, Israel.”

Stefanik went on to praise Jordan as a “patriot” and a “winner.”

“He’s an America-first warrior who wins the toughest of fights,” she said. “Going after corruption and delivering accountability at the highest levels of government, on behalf of we the people. Jim is the voice of the American people who have felt voiceless for far too long.”

Oct 17, 12:22 PM EDT
Quorum call is underway

Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry opened the chamber at 12:03 p.m., quickly moving the lower chamber into a prayer led by Margaret Grun Kibben.

Following the opening prayer and the pledge of allegiance, the House began a quorum call to establish the members who are present and voting.

Oct 17, 12:14 PM EDT
Jordan ignores questions on 2020 election

Jordan’s actions leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack have been under scrutiny in his run for speaker.

Colorado Rep. Ken Buck, one Republican holdout, has pointed to Jordan’s past comments about the 2020 election and Jan. 6.

Buck told ABC News on Monday, “I think Jim at some point If he is going to lead this conference … is going to have to be strong and say Donald Trump didn’t win the election, and we need to move forward. Hopefully, you know, for Republicans, we get a Republican candidate in the White House.”

ABC News pushed Jordan on that point ahead of the vote.

“I have been very clear about that,” he responded. “There were states that unconstitutionally changed our election law and that’s what I objected to, as did the vast, vast majority of Republican members of Congress.”

Asked if he would acknowledge that Trump lost the 2020 election, Jordan appeared to hear the question but did not respond and got onto the elevator. Two hours later, another reporter asked the same question and Jordan ignored it.

Oct 17, 12:04 PM EDT
Jordan projects confidence

Jordan spent the final hours meeting with GOP holdouts and working the phones ahead of the noon vote. There are still at least 10 holdouts and several members who have not said publicly how they will vote.

“We are going to find out here pretty soon,” Jordan told ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott when asked if he has enough support to get elected.

Oct 17, 12:01 PM EDT
House chamber filling up ahead of vote

Minutes before the House opens for business, the gallery of the House chamber is filling up with more than 200 tourists and other visitors to the Capitol as journalists begin to settle into the press galleries and lawmakers arrive on the floor.

Among the first members on the floor is Republican Rep. Frank Lucas of Oklahoma, who is using a walker as he recovers from a major operation after sustaining a hip injury farming. Lucas took a seat in the back near the aisle, chatting briefly with Republican Rep. Randy Weber of Texas.

Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson, who is rumored to be mulling his own bid for speaker if Jordan fails, is seated at the GOP leadership table. He walked over to the center aisle to talk with Colorado Democrat Joe Neguse.

Michigan Democrat Dan Kildee is seated behind the Democrat leadership table. Neguse is now seated there, chatting with his colleague. Rep. Debbie Dingel of Michigan is also seated on the Democratic side, scrolling through her phone.

Tennessee Republican Andy Ogles is the first of the Freedom Caucus members to stake their usual spot along the center aisle.

Oct 17, 11:55 AM EDT
Timing of the first-round speaker vote

Here’s the timing for what we expect for the first round of speaker votes this afternoon:

The clerk (Kevin McCumber, acting clerk) calls the House of Representatives to order at noon EST.
Prayer led by Margaret Grun Kibben — the first female chaplain of the House.
Pledge of Allegiance led by the House clerk.
Quorum call is ordered by the clerk. Members are called to vote electronically by state. At this point, we will hear the official number of lawmakers present and voting.
Election for speaker with nominations made by selected lawmakers. Typically, one lawmaker from each party is nominated — in this case, Jordan is the Republican nominee and Jeffries is the Democratic nominee. House Republican Conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik will nominate Jordan; House Democratic Caucus chairman Pete Aguilar will nominate Jeffries.
Debate on the nomination of candidates for speaker is allowed but not customary.
“Tellers” are appointed to count “viva voce” voice votes, usually two members from each side of the aisle. A “viva voce” vote is one spoken aloud. The (usually) four tellers take a seat at the dais and tally votes on paper.
Roll is then called by the House reading clerk with members calling out the last name of their chosen speaker; the clerk repeats the choice so everyone hears it. This could take up to one hour.
The House clerk announces the results; appoints an escort committee to formally escort the new Speaker-elect into the chamber.

Oct 17, 10:57 AM EDT
Does Jordan have the votes?

Currently the whole number of the House is 433, with two vacancies that won’t be filled until later this year. Presuming all 433 members vote, Jordan would need 217 votes to be named speaker.

But a whip count from ABC News shows it’s unlikely Jordan, who won the GOP nomination on Friday, has locked down the votes. He can only afford to lose four votes. As of right now, up to 10 Republicans have signaled that they plan to vote for someone other than Jordan on the first ballot. No Democrats are expected to support Jordan’s nomination.

A top aide to Jordan told ABC News that the congressman has “been meeting with members and making calls” this morning ahead of the vote.

Oct 17, 10:54 AM EDT
What to expect

The House will convene at noon today to consider the nomination of Jordan for speaker.

First, a quorum call will be ordered by the clerk for members to establish the official number of lawmakers present and voting.

Then, the election for speaker will take place. Typically, one lawmaker from each party is nominated: Jordan for Republicans and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for Democrats. Lawmakers will then have a period of debate before a roll call vote in which each member will be called upon to state who they support for speaker.

If the first round fails, they have to restart this process or the House might recess so members could meet behind closed doors in conference.

Oct 17, 10:55 AM EDT
Who is Jim Jordan?

The Ohio Republican won the GOP nomination for speaker last week.

A conservative firebrand and favorite of former President Donald Trump, Jordan was first elected to Congress in 2006 and in 2015, founded the House Freedom Caucus — a conservative group that supports hard-line stances on government spending, health care, immigration and other issues.

Now, as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Jordan is one of the Republicans leading the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and investigations into his son, Hunter.

-ABC’s Sarah Beth Hensley

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — In a rare address to the nation from the Oval Office, President Joe Biden on Thursday night made the case to Americans that it’s vital to both global and U.S. national security to assist Israel and Ukraine in their respective conflicts, which threaten broader disruptions in Europe and the Middle East.

“I know the conflicts can seem far away and it’s natural to ask: Why does this matter to America?” Biden said. “So let me share with you why making sure Israel and Ukraine succeed is vital for America’s national security. You know, history has taught us that when terrorists don’t pay a price for their terror, when dictators don’t pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and death and more destruction.”

Solemn throughout his remarks, the president stressed what he saw as America’s role as a defender of democracy and as a “beacon to the world, still,” while seeking to reassure the nation amid a time of rising anger, grief and unrest in the wake of Hamas’ terror attack on Israel and Israel’s resulting war on Hamas in the Palestinian territory of Gaza.

“To all of you hurting, those of you who are hurting, I want you to know: I see you. You belong,” the president said. “And I want to say this to you: You’re all America.”

Biden’s remarks came one day after his wartime visit to Tel Aviv, a high-stakes test of his personal diplomacy and U.S. world leadership in a crisis.

In Israel, he expressed unwavering support in the wake of Hamas’ attacks, which killed some 1,400, and secured an agreement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. But he also urged officials to practice restraint as they ramp up operations against Hamas in Gaza, where thousands have been killed so far in the conflict.

Biden warned Israel not to repeat what he called the “mistakes” made by the United States in the aftermath of 9/11 — a message he echoed from the White House on Thursday night.

“I cautioned the government of Israel not to be blinded by rage,” Biden said in the Oval Office, his second speech there. “And here in America, let us not forget who we are. We reject all forms, all forms of hate, whether against Muslims, Jews or anyone. That’s what great nations do, and we are a great nation.”

Biden directly addressed the fear in Jewish communities of being targeted, and he denounced the killing of Wadea Al-Fayoume, a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy, in Chicago last week. Authorities suspect it was a hate crime. Shortly after his speech, Biden spoke with the boy’s father and uncle, the White House said.

“We can’t stand by and stand silent when this happens,” Biden said. “We must, without equivocation, denounce antisemitism. We must also, without equivocation, denounce Islamophobia.”

Biden’s speech laid the groundwork for a large foreign aid proposal he will be sending to Congress in support of Israel and Ukraine, he said — specifically to shore up their defense capabilities. He spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of his remarks, and Zelenskyy thanked him for the ongoing U.S. assistance.

In his address, Biden took a moment to reflect on his surprise visit to Ukraine earlier this year, first arriving in Poland and then taking a 10-hour train ride to Kyiv, to mark one year since the start of Russia’s war. Biden said he was bringing “the promise of America to the people who today are fighting for the same things we fought for 250 years ago.”

“Hamas and Putin represent different threats, but they share this in common: They both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy,” Biden said, referring to the extremist group and Russia’s president, who launched an invasion of Ukraine in early 2022.

The president’s aid proposal, still in flux, could amount to some $100 billion, including a whopping $60 billion more for Ukraine, sources familiar with the draft have told ABC News.

While Biden did not mention a specific number for his forthcoming request to Congress, he called it “a smart investment that’s going to pay dividends for American security for generations, help us keep American troops out of harm’s way, help us build a world that is safer and more peaceful and more prosperous for our children and grandchildren.”

The White House’s draft aid proposal would also include $10 billion for Israel, as well as money for the U.S.-Mexico border — likely an appeal to conservatives who’ve expressed opposition to sending more assistance to Ukraine.

But the request will fall on a paralyzed Congress, with the House without a speaker since the historic ouster of Kevin McCarthy more than two weeks ago. Republicans have, so far, been unable to come to a consensus on a successor, leaving the chamber in chaos.

The terror attacks in Israel have prompted some sense of urgency to fill the void. Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole, while nominating Ohio’s Jim Jordan for the post, received a standing ovation from Republicans and Democrats alike when he invoked Israel’s right to defend itself. But as of Thursday, the path forward to handing down the speaker’s gavel remained unclear.

Biden, who is in the early stages of his own reelection bid in next year’s election, said Thursday that it was time to get past the divisions at home to ensure order abroad.

“We can’t let petty, partisan, angry politics get in the way of the way of our responsibilities of as a great nation,” he said. “We cannot and will not let terrorists like Hamas and tyrants like Putin win. I refuse to let that happen. In moments like these … we have to remember who we are. We are the United States of America.”

“We are the essential nation,” he said.

“American leadership is what holds the world together. American alliances are what keep us, America, safe. American values are what make us a partner that other nations want to work with. To put all that at risk — if we walk away from Ukraine, if we turn our backs on Israel — it’s just not worth it.”

ABC News’ Mary Bruce, Anne Flaherty, Ben Gittleson, Justin Gomez and Rachel Scott contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — As President Joe Biden on Thursday made his case to the American public that success in Ukraine and Israel is “vital” to the U.S., the White House prepared a sweeping $105 billion foreign aid package that includes some $60 billion in assistance for Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel, three officials tell ABC News.

In a bid to sweeten the deal for skeptical Republican lawmakers, the full-year request was also expected to include $14 billion to improve security at the U.S.-Mexico border and another $7 billion in assistance for the Indo-Pacific region, which includes Taiwan. Another $10 billion would go toward humanitarian efforts, according to the officials who spoke on condition of anonymity before details were announced Friday.

Biden did not provide specific numbers in his speech, instead focusing on explaining his policy goals to the public.

“History has taught us that when terrorists don’t pay a price for their terror, when dictators don’t pay a price for their aggression, they cause more chaos and death and more destruction,” he said.

The emerging proposal suggests an administration deeply worried the country could be dragged into multiple conflicts abroad — in Europe, where Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago, and in the Middle East, where Israel is fighting Hamas after a terror attack. At the same time, America is grappling with Central and South American migrants rushing to its own border.

In all, “this is a moment in which the administration needs to respond,” the White House’s Deputy National Security Adviser, Jon Finer, said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” ahead of Biden’s speech.

“We believe that Congress as well needs to act to make sure that we have the resources to be able to continue our leadership,” Finer said.

Still, the proposal to spend some $5 billion a month in Ukraine is likely to meet opposition on Capitol Hill. Republicans there are divided on the issue and some have questioned the ongoing support, pointing to polls that show a notable minority of Americans say the U.S. is doing too much in Ukraine. GOP lawmakers also argue the money would be better used on domestic issues.

Bundling Ukraine aid with Israel, border security and assistance for Taiwan — all GOP priorities — is widely seen as a tactic by the White House to push the proposal through a Congress currently gripped by dysfunction.

At the time of Biden’s speech, the House had not yet been able to agree on a speaker amid weeks of conservative infighting.

According to the White House, Biden spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday ahead of his public remarks.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin taunted Biden on Thursday, mocking the president’s long-held insistence that peace is better achieved through diplomacy while at the same time asking Congress to buy more bombs, munitions and missiles for U.S. allies overseas.

“If Russia has lost the war, why do they supply ATACMS missiles? Let them take them back, and all the other weapons. Let Biden come and sit down for pancakes with us, come and have a tea party with us,” Putin said.

ABC News’ Patrick Reevell contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LANSING, Mich.) — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office has dismissed the case against one of the 16 so-called “fake electors” charged in the plot to overturn the results of the 2020 election in the state.

“After conversations with the Attorney General’s office, all charges against our innocent client, Jim Renner, were dismissed,” Renner’s lawyer, Clint Westbook, said in a statement.

Nessel in June announced that 16 Michigan Republicans would face criminal charges, including forgery and conspiracy to commit election forgery, for allegedly attempting to replace Michigan’s electoral votes for Joe Biden with electoral votes for then-President Donald Trump at the certification of the vote on Jan. 6, 2021.

According to prosecutors, the 16 met “covertly” in the basement of the Michigan Republican Party headquarters on Dec. 14, 2020, and signed their names to multiple certificates stating they were the duly elected electors.

Those false documents were then “transmitted to the United States Senate and National Archives in a coordinated effort to award the state’s electoral votes to the candidate of their choosing, in place of the candidates actually elected by the people of Michigan,” prosecutors said.

Nessel’s office confirmed to ABC News that they dismissed Renner’s case under a cooperation agreement.

The state is still pursuing charges against the other 15 defendants.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — An office at the Department of Homeland Security that helps detect biological and chemical weapons could shutter if Congress doesn’t fund it by December — an increasingly likely possibility as Republicans on Capitol Hill struggle to select a speaker.

The Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office at the Department of Homeland Security, which is the one-stop shop for the department’s detection and research of biological weapons, will close if not funded by December because of language put into the initial development of the office in 2018.

Some of the capabilities of the office include supporting large events like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with radiological detection devices and supporting state and local governments with nuclear detection devices.

“This is a highly charged environment, and the threat environment is complex and it is complicated,” Mary Ellen Callahan, the assistant secretary for countering weapons of mass destruction, told reporters at DHS headquarters on Thursday. “The CWMD office was created to have the subject matter expertise to be able to address a multitude of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats and to go and help support those who are the first responders, who are really the canaries in the coal mine, so to speak, and to help support the homeland.”

The office she oversees is the only one that looks at “state, local, tribal, territorial aspect of response to nuclear threats,” she said.

For example, the programs that partner with 14 major cities to detect and prepare a response for nuclear events would go away, Callahan said.

Officials within the office said budgetary constraints could cause a strain for those cities.

“They would have to recreate [the CWMD office] and spend resources that they don’t presently have,” one DHS official said.

Callahan told reporters that lawmakers are on board with legislation for the office to continue it is just about how to get it done in time before the office is terminated.

“It’s a complicated congressional environment,” she said.

Much House business — including appropriating funds to government agencies — has come to a grinding halt following the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. After House Republicans twice rejected Rep. Jim Jordan for speaker, it appears there will be a third floor vote, although the timing is not yet clear.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LAS VEGAS) — In February, Nevada Republican voters are expected to be able to choose from two entirely different ballots for the 2024 presidential nomination.

On one — for the caucus held by the Nevada Republican Party on Feb. 8 — will be former President Donald Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, businessman and commentator Vivek Ramaswamy, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and pastor and entrepreneur Ryan Binkley.

And on the other — for the state-run primary on Feb. 6 — will be former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Vice President Mike Pence, along with some long shot candidates.

While Nevada voters can cast ballots in both the caucus and primary, the latter slate of hopefuls are competing for a symbolic victory. The 26 Nevada delegates that will help determine who wins the Republican nomination will be awarded only through the caucus, not the primary.

The unprecedented parallel contests — which some local experts worry could turn off voters, given all of the intricacies — were the result of a conflict between the state GOP and a 2021 state law that mandated a primary must also be held.

The crowded field of 2024 Republican candidates has divided between the two races.

How did these competing contests come about?

Nevada has long been a caucus state for both the Republican and Democratic parties, but the state law enacted two years ago mandated a primary if more than one candidate files — as happened in the 2024 race.

The Democratic Party has since adopted the primary for 2024, with President Joe Biden and author and speaker Marianne Williamson both filing to compete. But the Nevada Republican Party decided to hold a caucus anyway, declaring that the caucus would be the only way for candidates to win delegates regardless of the outcome of the required primary. (State Republicans also unsuccessfully sought to stop the primary entirely, but the courts allowed them to restrict delegates only to the separate caucus.)

The Nevada Republican Party leadership’s push to continue with the caucus has been a hotly contested topic over the past few months, with critics of the move claiming that the caucus — which includes in-person gatherings where voters publicly disclose their preferred candidate in tidy groups, versus traditional voting — was championed by allies of Trump, who already has a deep network of vocal supporters and organizational power across Nevada.

Others have dismissed the idea, contending that the caucus is a more transparent nominating process and that the former president has a strong hold on Nevada Republicans either way.

Earlier this summer, when it became apparent that Nevada was inching toward dueling Republican nominating contests, the state GOP tried to direct candidates to the caucus ballot, penalizing those who chose to participate in the primary by making them ineligible to receive delegates.

But to some Nevada Republicans’ surprise, that didn’t stop several major presidential candidates — Haley, Scott and Pence — from filing for the primary, effectively giving up on Nevada’s delegates.

All three of those hopefuls trail distantly in state polling, according to 538, compared with Trump’s yawning lead.

Come February, Nevada voters will be able to cast ballots in two separate contests for the Republican presidential nominating process, resulting in two separate winners, though only the winner of the caucus will get closer to being the 2024 nominee.

“We’re gonna continue our voter education program to let people know where caucuses are, where the delegates are assigned, so I think we’ll be able to get the word out to everybody,” Nevada Republican Party National Committeeman Jim DeGraffenreid said.

Why some candidates opted out of Nevada’s caucus and its delegates

The filing fee to get on the ballot for the party-run caucus is $55,000, but candidates have the option of getting a reduced rate of $35,000 by doing a fundraiser with the Nevada Republican Party. The state GOP has told ABC News that all six of the candidates that filed for the caucus have opted to do a fundraiser for a reduced filing fee.

Pence, who in his most recent campaign disclosure filing reported having just over $1 million in the bank entering October — significantly lower than many of his 2024 rivals — pointed to his campaign’s limited resources when asked about his decision to file for the primary over the caucus.

“But it’s not about money. It’s about votes,” he said last week in New Hampshire. “And so we want people of Nevada to know that we look forward to carrying our message in Nevada, continuing to tell our story.”

Scott, asked about his choice of the primary over the caucus, said the primary gives more people the opportunity to see him. Scott denied that he’s avoiding a direct contest with Trump in the caucus.

“The bottom line is: You make the decision that you think gives the most people the most opportunities to take a look at each candidate and come to a conclusion,” Scott said earlier this month in New Hampshire.

Haley has not commented on her decision to forgo delegates by participating in the state-run primary. Her campaign did not immediately respond to questions.

DeGraffenreid, with the state party, told ABC News that the state party was in communication with most of the campaigns leading up to the filing deadline for the caucus and that he was “very surprised” about Haley’s choice.

“I felt like she was still planning to be competitive,” DeGraffenreid said, adding, “Of the three of them, I think I was most surprised that she chose to forego delegates here.”

“It remains to be seen how voters will react to that,” he continued. “Anybody that understands the process understands that delegates is the goal of every primary or caucus in the nation, so I certainly am perplexed as to why any serious candidate would file for a contest that doesn’t allow them any delegates.”

Why this matters to Nevada voters and the 2024 race

Some political experts said choosing to compete in the primary versus the caucus was a strategic decision for those candidates who saw a path to winning something valuable other than delegates, especially in light of Trump’s continued popularity with the base.

“If I’m running for president and I’m trailing in the polls, and my thought is, I might not even pull enough votes to get a delegate anyway, why spend that $55,000?” Jill Douglas, a Nevada Republican Party Central Committee member, told ABC News. “But I could participate in the primary and garner some national momentum from being able to say, ‘Well, I won the primary in Nevada.'”

Some others argue that candidates who skipping the caucus risk leaving a bad impression on Nevada voters who may expect more attention given their early spot in the 2024 nominating calendar.

“For the longest time, Nevada didn’t matter because by the time candidates got around to Nevada, pretty much all the delegates had already been decided,” Washoe County Republican Party Chairman Bruce Parks told ABC News.

“But now we’re the first in the West,” he said.

Nonetheless, so far this year, Trump, DeSantis and Ramaswamy are the only GOP candidates that have visited Nevada.

“Is that because they feel like Trump has such a lead that it doesn’t make sense to spend the money? Do they feel like the nature of the caucus isn’t helpful to their campaign?” wondered Douglas, a member of the state party. “In a normal presidential year, we’d have candidates coming into town and a lot of excitement about people just getting out to see presidential candidates, and that hasn’t happened.”

Jesus Marquez, a former leader of Latinos for Trump and now a political consultant in Nevada, said the current lack of campaign activities in the state is understandable given that Iowa and New Hampshire, which vote before Nevada, continue to attract much more candidate and media attention.

Later this month, the Republican Jewish Coalition is hosting its annual summit featuring Trump, DeSantis, Haley, Ramaswamy, Pence, Christie, Scott and Burgum in Las Vegas, expected to be the first opportunity for many Republican voters in Nevada to see the candidates.

“I anticipate that in the coming months, we will start seeing more and more candidates,” Marquez said.

ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Libby Cathey and Isabella Murray contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden will address the nation in prime time on Thursday, fresh off a wartime visit to Israel, a high-stakes test of his personal diplomacy and U.S. world leadership in a crisis.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Biden will make the case to Americans that it’s vital to both global and U.S. national security to assist Israel as it responds to the terror attacks by Hamas, as well as to continue help for Ukraine as it fends off Russian invaders.

“What the president is going to be doing is laying out for the American people a description of this moment that we are in,” deputy national security adviser Jonathan Finer said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”

Biden will use the remarks to “connect that national moment to American lives back here,” Finer said, and explain why the administration and lawmakers need to continue to show leadership.

Biden will talk about how painful recent events have been for millions of Americans.

In Tel Aviv, Biden pledged unwavering support to Israel but also successfully made the case to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza. Taking reporter questions on the way home, Biden spoke to the political risk, including to himself, saying, “had we gone and this failed, then, you know the United States failed, Biden’s presidency failed, et cetera, which would be legitimate criticism.”

The national address comes as Biden’s team prepares to send a large foreign aid package to Capitol Hill. The proposal, still in flux, could amount to $100 billion, including a whopping $60 billion more for Ukraine, sources familiar with the draft told ABC News.

The draft proposal would also include $10 billion for Israel, as well as money for the U.S.-Mexico border — likely an appeal to conservatives who’ve expressed opposition to sending more assistance to Ukraine.

But the request will fall on a paralyzed Congress, with the House without a speaker since the historic ouster of Kevin McCarthy more than two weeks ago. Republicans have, so far, been unable to come to a consensus on a successor, leaving the chamber in chaos.

The terror attacks in Israel have prompted some sense of urgency to fill the void. Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole, while nominating Ohio’s Jim Jordan for the post, received a standing ovation from Republicans and Democrats alike when he invoked Israel’s right to defend itself. But as of Thursday, the path forward to handing down the speaker’s gavel remained unclear.

Biden on Wednesday told Israel they are “not alone” and that his administration would make sure leaders have “what you need to protect your people, to defend your nation.”

But he also urged officials to practice caution, warning them not to repeat what he called the “mistakes” made by the United States in the aftermath of 9/11. He also issued a pointed reminder that Israel, as a democracy, has an obligation to the rules of law.

On his way back to Washington, Biden took a victory lap on securing some limited humanitarian aid to Gaza. Biden said Egypt would allow up to 20 trucks with aid to pass through the Rafah border crossing, which has been closed since the conflict began. The aid is also subject to conditions, including that it never reach Hamas.

“I came to get something done — I got it done,” he told reporters on Air Force One.

But he was vague on the prospect of securing a safe passage out for civilians who want to leave Gaza, and announced no updates on getting back U.S. hostages held by Hamas.

The trip, risky physically as well as politically, came eight months after he made a surprise visit to Kyiv to mark one year since Russia’s invasion.

There, he said “unchecked aggression” demonstrated by Russia “is a threat to all of us.”

“You remind us that freedom is priceless; it’s worth fighting for for as long as it takes,” Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the time. ” And that’s how long we’re going to be with you, Mr. President: for as long as it takes.”

The Biden administration has been pressed on whether it can assist both Ukraine and Israel. Biden has assured the U.S. can.

Prior to his speech, Biden spoke with Zelenskyy, the White House confirmed.

Zelenskyy said he thanked the U.S. president for sending ATACMs, or long-range missiles, to help Ukraine’s counteroffensive.

Zelenskyy also said he “welcomed” Biden’s visit to Israel aimed “at seeking peace and protection of civilian lives” and that Ukraine was “grateful for the vital and enduring U.S. support in our fight for freedom.”

ABC News’ Mary Bruce, Anne Flaherty, Rachel Scott and Justin Gomez contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — California Sen. Laphonza Butler will not seek to be elected to a full term in 2024 after she was appointed to succeed the late Dianne Feinstein, a decision that removes one potential candidate from an already crowded field, she said in a statement on Thursday.

“Knowing you can win a campaign doesn’t always mean you should run a campaign,” she said, in part. “I know this will be a surprise to many because traditionally we don’t see those who have power let it go. It may not be the decision people expected but it’s the right one for me.”

The news was first reported by The New York Times.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — Several House Republicans who have voted against Rep. Jim Jordan for speaker are seething after threats have been made against them, their offices or even their spouses — including one that a lawmaker called a “credible death threat.”

The chaotic battle for the speakership presses on after Republicans twice rejected Jordan — a conservative firebrand and favorite of former President Donald Trump — most recently with 22 members of his party voting against him.

Several in the GOP are opposed to Jordan as speaker — and say they have been threatened or harassed as a result of the pressure campaign Jordan’s allies have waged across conservative media.

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said he and his family have received threats.

“My wife has been getting anonymous texts and phone calls to compel her to get me to change my vote, which is wrong … trying to bully my wife is wrong,” he said.

In text messages Bacon provided to ABC News, one person messaged his wife saying “Your husband will not hold any political office ever again. What a disappoint (sic) and failure he is.”

Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, said in a statement she has received “credible death threats and a barrage of threatening calls” after voting against Jordan Wednesday.

“One thing I cannot stomach or support, is a bully,” Miller-Meeks said.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., told ABC News that his office and staff have received calls to try to pressure him to back Jordan.

“[Jordan] told me he wasn’t behind it and he has asked people to stop. If you have asked people to stop it, why haven’t they listened to you?” Gimenez said.

“I don’t really take well to threats. In fact, if you threaten me, I will probably go the other way,” Gimenez added.

Rep. Drew Ferguson, R-Ga., voted against Jordan for speaker in the second ballot, and said he and his family have received death threats.

“When the pressure campaigns and attacks on fellow members ramped up, it became clear to me that the House Republican Conference does not need a bully as the Speaker,” he said in a statement.

Ferguson switched his vote to Scalise from Jordan on the second ballot.

“Shortly after casting that vote, my family and I started receiving death-threats. That is simply unacceptable, unforgivable, and will never be tolerated,” he said.

Jordan told ABC Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott that the death threats were “terrible.”

“There’s no place for that for anyone. It’s just wrong,” Jordan said.

Some conservative media voices have pushed listeners and viewers to call members who don’t back Jordan.

Former Trump White House adviser turned podcast host Steve Bannon earlier this week urged his followers to pressure GOP members to fall in line and back Jordan.

“Call them and get in their grill. Let them know what you think … Email, call their local office, all of it, burn it down. That’s right. Get up in their face,” Bannon said on Wednesday morning’s show.

Capitol Police, the agency charged with protecting members of Congress, would not comment on how it is handling the threats.

“For safety reasons, the USCP does not discuss potential security measures for Members or any potential investigations,” Capitol Police said Thursday.

Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., voted against Jordan for the gavel and suggested to ABC’s Scott that even more Republicans oppose Jordan but are “holding their noses because they fear the backlash.”

“They all have their reasons. And I have mine,” Womack said. “I hope people will at least give us the courtesy of respecting our position. Disagree with us, be mad with us, vote against us. Do what you’ve got to do. But understand, we all took an oath to the Constitution, we’re trying to do our very best.”

-ABC News’ Will Steakin and Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — Jordan is expected to soon tell his GOP colleagues that he won’t hold a third vote for the role of speaker and instead will throw his weight behind expanding powers for the Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, sources tell ABC News.

Jordan, a conservative firebrand, staunch Donald Trump loyalist and founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, received his party’s nomination last week after House Majority Leader Steve Scalise bowed out of the race.

The Ohio congressman now faces an uphill battle to secure the 217 votes he needs to win the gavel.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Oct 19, 2:55 PM EDT
Jordan, leaving meeting, says there will be a 3rd vote after all

Leaving the closed door meeting with Republicans, Jordan said that the House will vote again on his speaker bid for a third time.

When asked about timing, he said he wanted to talk to the holdouts who are opposing him before moving forward.

Oct 19, 2:52 PM EDT
McCarthy shouted at Matt Gaetz in GOP meeting

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy shouted at Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida as the party met behind closed doors. Gaetz led the charge against McCarthy, successfully rallying a small group of Republican hard-liners to remove him.

“The whole country is screaming at Matt Gaetz,” McCarthy said.

Oct 19, 2:27 PM EDT
Plan to temporarily empower McHenry appears to be nonstarter

After more than three hours behind closed doors, House Republicans don’t seem to have a plan on how to move forward with the speakership.

The meeting is still ongoing, but several Republicans emerged in the last few minutes to tell reporters that the proposal to temporarily empower Patrick McHenry is now a nonstarter, lacking the support of a majority of Republicans.

“The best thing for Republicans to do is to elect a speaker,” former Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters.

Absent a plan to empower McHenry, Republicans said Jordan told members he will reevaluate his campaign for speaker after talking to some of his critics. Several Republicans spoke up in the meeting and said Jordan should suspend his campaign given the lack of support.

-ABC’s Benjamin Siegel

Oct 19, 12:21 PM EDT
Some House conservatives slam proposal to empower temporary speaker and delay vote on Jordan

As Republicans continue to debate how best to move forward given Jordan’s impasse, some of his top allies are bashing the idea of elevating Patrick McHenry with Democratic support until January to get the House through funding Israel/Ukraine aid and avoiding a shutdown.

“This is the wrong thing to do. Our voters worked very hard to give us the majority,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., shared his opposition.

“I’m against speaker lite,” Gaetz said. “It’s constitutional desecration.”

Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., told ABC Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott he doesn’t back the plan and predicted that more than half the GOP would oppose it.

Even if the pragmatic Republicans supporting Jordan support the plan, it will need Democratic votes. The exact number could be fluid.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has said Republicans must take up government funding and Israel/Ukraine aid. His third demand — allowing “bipartisan bills” to the floor — could be a nonstarter for many Republicans depending on how it’s construed.

McHenry kept his cards close entering the meeting about whether he supports the plan.

“I never asked for additional powers,” he said.

He is expected to gavel the House into session shortly and then recess as both parties continue their private meetings.

Oct 19, 11:56 AM EDT
What Jordan not holding 3rd vote could mean for speakership quest

If Jordan doesn’t hold a third vote in his speakership bid, and instead backs additional powers for temporary speaker McHenry, it may not mean Jordan is out of the race.

The move will allow Jordan to hold on to the “designee” title and potentially keep pursuing votes from his fellow members, but in the meantime give the House a chance to move forward with important duties such as avoiding an impending government shutdown and aid to countries at war.

On his way to the Thursday morning meeting with his colleagues, Jordan wouldn’t directly say what he planned to do but pledged to offer an update after he heard from fellow members.

“I’m not gonna get into any details. I think it’s important to speak to our colleagues first. And then once conference is over, I’ll be happy to come out and stand there and not make you walk backwards and talk to you then,” he said. “But right now, I’m gonna go talk to my colleagues.”

Jordan had also previously said he was hoping to “bring the conference together” and acknowledged they were looking at “all kinds of options,” including expanding the powers of McHenry and allowing the House to get back to business without an elected GOP speaker.

-ABC’s Katherine Faulders and Rachel Scott

Oct 19, 11:57 AM EDT
Jordan expected to announce he will not hold 3rd vote for speakership

After two failed votes so far, Jordan is expected to soon tell his GOP colleagues that he won’t hold a third vote for the role of speaker and instead will throw his weight behind expanding powers for the Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, according to two sources familiar with the decision.

-ABC’S Katherine Faulders and Rachel Scott

Oct 19, 10:17 AM EDT
Republicans expected to meet Thursday morning ahead of possible vote

House Republicans are expected to meet behind closed doors in the Capitol basement at 11 a.m. Thursday to discuss the speaker race situation ahead of a possible floor vote later in the day.

A vote could take place on the floor as early at noon, but the exact timing — and details of the vote — haven’t been set.

Oct 18, 7:32 PM EDT
Republicans say they were threatened after not voting for Jordan

Nearly half a dozen GOP members who have voted against Jordan said they or their offices were threatened or harassed — including, in the case of one lawmaker, with “credible death threats.”

“No American should accost another for their beliefs. We condemn all threats against our colleagues, and it is imperative that we come together. Stop. It’s abhorrent,” Jordan said in a statement on X.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez of Florida told ABC News that his office and staff have been receiving calls to try to pressure him to back Jordan.

“He [Jordan] told me he wasn’t behind it and he has asked people to stop. If you have asked people to stop it, why haven’t they listened to you?” Gimenez said.

Oct 18, 7:56 PM EDT
McHenry says he’ll give Jordan ‘as long as he needs’ to clinch speakership

Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., said he plans on giving Jordan “as long as he needs” to garner the support necessary to clinch the speakership.

“Look, Speaker-designee Jordan is working with the conference to get his votes. It’s a tight time frame. But look — he has the most votes in the conference. We’ve had two ballots and I think he has the support of the conference. I think we are going to keep working,” McHenry told reporters.

McHenry added that House Republicans didn’t “have plans to” hold a conference meeting Wednesday evening after Jordan failed to win the gavel for the second time in two days.

Oct 18, 4:53 PM EDT
Next House votes happening Thursday afternoon

Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s office said the House will not take any further votes Wednesday. The next votes are expected Thursday no earlier than 12 p.m., Emmer said.

That means the soonest the next speaker vote could happen would be Thursday afternoon.

Oct 18, 4:16 PM EDT
House will not vote again for speaker on Wednesday, next vote possible Thursday

The House is not expected to take another vote for speaker on Wednesday, sources tell ABC News.

Jordan told reporters that another vote for speaker could come Thursday.

Sources tell ABC News that Jordan has also pushed for a vote on a resolution empowering Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, but it’s unclear if the GOP leadership team will agree to put that on the floor while Jordan is still an active candidate for speaker, and while other Republicans may be waiting in the wings to make a play for the gavel if he exits the race.

-ABC’s Benjamin Siegel

Oct 18, 3:54 PM EDT
Rep. Barr jokes with Capitol tourists: ‘Any of you want to sign up?’

More than two hours have passed and there’s little progress to report with the House still in recess. Still, there was a moment of levity with tourists amid the tense and chaotic speakership battle.

Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., just popped into the chamber and noticed about 20 visitors seated patiently in the gallery and shouted, “We’re looking for a speaker. Any of you want to sign up?”

The crowd laughed and someone shouted a question — asking him whether lawmakers are coming back for another round of votes for speaker.

He said he thought that was the plan and then walked over to the back of the chamber to chat with the visitors.

“Where are you from?” Barr asked, to which several visitors responded they were from South Carolina, Pittsburgh and Virginia.

Barr, who was the only member in the Chamber during this interaction, mingled for a few minutes before excusing himself.

“Thanks for coming,” he said. “Sorry we can’t show you any more right now.”

Oct 18, 3:28 PM EDT
Breaking down Jordan’s performance, GOP defectors

Jordan received one fewer vote in the second round than he did on Tuesday, receiving 199 votes.

Jordan picked up three members, but lost four others.

Seven Republicans voted for House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who initially won the party’s nomination for speaker but bowed out of the race last week. They were: Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, Drew Ferguson of Georgia, Tony Gonzales of Texas, Kay Granger of Texas, John Rutherford of Florida, Mike Simpson of Idaho and Steve Womack of Arkansas.

Five voted for McCarthy: Reps. Don Bacon of Nebraska, Lori Chavez DeRemer of Oregon, Carlos Gimenez of Florida, Jennifer Kiggans of Virginia and Mike Lawler of New York.

Other Republicans who voted for someone else include Reps Vern Buchanan of Florida, Ken Buck of Ohio, Jake Ellzey of Kansas, Mary Miller-Meeks of Iowa, John James of Michigan, Mike Kelley of Pennsylvania and Pete Stauber of Minnesota.

Oct 18, 3:21 PM EDT
Centrists, institutionalists block Jordan’s path

The 22 Republicans who voted against Jordan make up a group of centrists and institutionalists who show no signs of budging anytime soon.

The group of detractors cited an array of reasons for voting against Jordan, including refusing to reward the lawmakers who voted to oust McCarthy, bristling against the pressure campaign from Jordan’s allies and rising worries over Jordan’s ideological rigidity, including his support for efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.

“It made us mad, and it backfires,” Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said Wednesday on Newsmax of the pressure campaign. “Some of the younger folks, maybe that works. But someone like me … you win us over with an argument that makes sense. You’re going to have to convince us. And threatening us does not work.”

Oct 18, 1:39 PM EDT
Jordan suffers 2nd defeat

Jordan has officially lost a second vote in his bid for speaker.

The Ohio Republican received 199 votes. House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries received 212 votes. Twenty-two Republicans cast their ballot for someone else.

Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry gaveled the House into recess.

3:24
Jim Jordan loses more votes in second round of voting for House speaker

Oct 18, 1:12 PM EDT
GOP likely to meet behind closed doors after vote

Republicans will most likely go into a closed-door conference meeting, which is expected to include discussions about a potential short-term solution, among other things.

A conference meeting hasn’t officially been noticed to Republicans yet, but sources said that’s the next expected step after the vote closes.

-ABC’s Katherine Faulders

Oct 18, 1:01 PM EDT
Republican opposition to Jordan rises

Jordan is facing even more opposition in this second round, with 22 Republicans so far casting their ballot for someone else.

On Tuesday, he had 20 GOP defectors.

The vote is still ongoing.

Oct 18, 12:26 PM EDT
Jordan on track for another defeat

The vote is ongoing, but already 10 Republicans have voted against Jordan, with that number expected to rise.

Oct 18, 12:18 PM EDT
Second vote for speaker is underway

A roll call vote is now underway.

Each member is being called on alphabetically to voice who they want to see succeed McCarthy. Jordan can only afford to lose four House Republicans before a fifth upsets his bid.

Oct 18, 12:51 PM EDT
Rep. Tom Cole nominates Jordan for speaker

Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole stood to nominate Jordan for the second ballot vote, saying he has what it takes to be speaker.

“He doesn’t dissemble. He simply tells you straight up, ‘this is what I believe,’ ‘this is why I think it’s the right thing to do for this country and that’s why I’m going to try to accomplish and work with you any way I can to do it,'” Cole said.

Cole commended Jordan’s work on committees and his stances on spending, immigration and more.

Cole also invoked the terror attacks in Israel, stating Israel is within its right to punish Hamas, which received a standing ovation from Republicans and Democrats.

“In a moment of crisis, and we are in a moment of crisis, we should come together to act,” Cole said. “And we know we can’t do that without a speaker of the House.”

Democrats once again nominated Hakeem Jeffries for speaker.

Oct 18, 11:44 AM EDT
Jordan: ‘We got to decide today’ on path forward

Jordan told reporters the American people deserve to have an answer today on what lies ahead.

“Look, I think we got to decide today. Are we going to have a Republican speaker … or is the body going to adopt this resolution with the speaker pro tempore?” Jordan said, referencing an effort to empower Rep. Patrick McHenry to conduct House business.

“I think both questions should be called,” Jordan said. “Let’s get an answer. We’ve been at this two weeks, the American people deserve to have their government functioning.”

Oct 18, 11:14 AM EDT
Republicans poised to reject Jordan on second ballot

Jordan is poised to lose Wednesday on a second ballot on the election of a speaker, but the Ohio Republican is showing no signs of giving up.

While Jordan has continued to attempt to sway holdout Republicans, only Rep. Doug LaMalfa of California has announced a change of heart following the first ballot. LaMalfa had initially voted for his fellow Californian, McCarthy — and now says he’ll support Jordan instead of the former speaker on the second ballot.

But the 19 other Republicans who bucked Jordan in the first round have not publicly shifted their stance yet, and Jordan is actually expected to lose additional lawmakers on the second ballot.

Oct 18, 10:19 AM EDT
Jordan could lose more Republicans on second ballot

A few Republican holdouts are reluctant to even take another meeting with Jordan or return his phone calls ahead of the second ballot set for Wednesday morning, sources tell ABC News.

By forcing another vote, Jordan runs the risk of losing even more Republicans on the second ballot. It’s unclear just how many gave him assurances that they’d only support him on the first round.

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters that talks between Democrats and Republicans have accelerated on an alternative plan to get the House back to business. Sources say Jeffries floated the idea of elevating a temporary speaker for a limited time so the House can do its work — a signal that a growing number of Democrats could support this plan.

Most Republicans expect the opposition against Jordan to grow Wednesday.

Oct 18, 9:42 AM EDT
If Jordan’s can’t win, one Republican wants to empower Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry

Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, one of the few remaining moderates in the GOP majority, could bring up a motion to empower temporary speaker Patrick McHenry if Jordan can’t lock down the votes for speaker on the second ballot Wednesday morning.

“After two weeks without a Speaker of the House and no clear candidate with 217 votes in the Republican conference, it is time to look at other viable options. By empowering Patrick McHenry as Speaker Pro Tempore we can take care of our ally Israel until a new Speaker is elected,” Joyce said in a statement.

By officially “empowering” McHenry, Republicans could give themselves a (temporary) off ramp to approve emergency aid to Israel and to fund the government to avert a shutdown next month.

It’s not clear how long Joyce is proposing to empower McHenry, or if Republicans will allow Joyce to do so, instead of letting others run for speaker if Jordan falls short. It’s likely Democrats would need to back the proposal on the House floor, too.

McHenry and his team have suggested he isn’t interested in the role.

Oct 17, 5:21 PM EDT
Next speaker vote expected Wednesday morning

The next speaker vote will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jordan said after he left a two-hour meeting in Whip Emmer’s office.

He reiterated that he is not going to drop out of the speaker battle and emphasized that he had basically the same level of support as McCarthy on his first vote in January.

Jordan said he expects to gain support in a Wednesday morning vote, mentioning Florida Rep. Gus Bilirakis, who missed today’s vote because of a family funeral. He didn’t address potential future defectors.

Oct 17, 4:52 PM EDT
What Republicans are saying about Jordan’s first-round loss

Emerging from the floor after Jordan’s failed first vote, some Republicans expressed open frustration while others remained optimistic.

“We gotta wake up and stop this nonsense. There’s real serious work to be done,” Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Meuser said.

Meuser had “direct” and “strong” conversations with GOP colleagues after the vote to try to swing them, he said. “We’ve got to understand — we’ve got to operate as a team, because if we don’t, we will lose everything.”

But he has to contend with members such as Colorado’s Ken Buck, who is staunchly anti-Jordan because of concerns he won’t support Ukraine funding and because of his role in protesting the 2020 election results.

“I am not going to vote for Jim, I just think there’s too much there at this point,” Buck told ABC News. Buck said he feels so strongly “because I just don’t think that we can win the presidential election if we have candidates and leaders in our party who won’t admit that Donald Trump lost, who won’t admit that the Republican Party wants to move forward.”

Of course, Republicans such as Meuser and others argued that not voting in a speaker will also threaten GOP victories in the next election.

“I think it absolutely casts a bad cloud over the institution and Republicans,” New York Rep. Nicole Malliotakis told ABC News.

Still others, however, were more optimistic — comparing this process to McCarthy’s and using it to argue that Jordan is on track for success.

“Do you believe that at the end of the day, it’s going to be Speaker Jordan?” ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott asked Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett.

“I do,” he replied.

-ABC’s Cheyenne Haslett

Oct 17, 4:26 PM EDT
GOP infighting continues

Jordan met with Scalise behind closed doors on Tuesday and asked for help to get the needed votes, a source told ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott. The source says Scalise wouldn’t commit to helping Jordan.

Scalise was the conference’s first choice for speaker in an internal contest last week, as he defeated Jordan 113-99. But he dropped out days later, amid opposition from holdouts who were backing Jordan.

Of the 20 Republicans who voted against Jordan in the first round, seven voted for Scalise.

Scalise cast his vote for Jordan.

Oct 17, 3:57 PM EDT
Jeffries urges GOP to join Dems in ‘finding a bipartisan path forward’

ABC News asked House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries if he sees Republicans forging a way out of the speakership impasse today.

“It’s not a complicated situation,” Jeffries responded. “We just need traditional Republicans to break from the extremists and join us in finding a bipartisan path forward. We’ve said it over and over and over again. We are ready, willing and able to get together and reopen the House.”

Oct 17, 3:27 PM EDT
Jordan tells ABC more members will vote for him on 2nd ballot

ABC News caught Jordan moments after he left the House chamber. He made it clear that he’s staying in the race for speaker, insisting there will be another vote tonight.

“We thought we were doing well … that we were in that area or a little more maybe, but we feel confident. We already talked to some members who are going to vote with us on the second ballot,” Jordan said as he rushed into an office.

-ABC’s Rachel Scott, Lauren Peller, Arthur Jones and John Parkinson

Oct 17, 2:49 PM EDT
Jordan’s team says expect another round of votes today

“The House needs a speaker as soon as possible,” Russell Dye, a spokesperson for Jordan, said in a statement. “Expect another round of votes today. It’s time for Republicans to come together.”

The timing of a second vote, however, remains unclear.

-ABC’s Katherine Faulders

Oct 17, 2:26 PM EDT
McCarthy says Jordan shouldn’t drop out, confident he’ll get the votes

McCarthy, the former speaker, attempted to equate Jordan’s loss to exactly what happened to him.

“Jordan had just as many votes as I had on the first one. I think the difference here is we have rules so we can sit down, talk to the other members and be able to move forward,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy lost 19 Republicans on the first ballot, while Jordan lost 20.

When asked if Jordan should drop out, McCarthy exclaimed: “No! No!”

“I saw the exact same vote that I got when I ran and I became speaker,” McCarthy said.

McCarthy said he’ll talk to Jordan and help in any way he can. When asked if he thinks Jordan will ultimately get the votes, McCarthy said “yes.”

-ABC’s Katherine Faulders

Oct 17, 2:02 PM EDT
House goes into recess

Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry, after reading aloud the results of the first ballot, gaveled the chamber into recess.

“A speaker has not been elected,” McHenry said.

There will not be an immediate second vote. Lawmakers are now expected to huddle behind closed doors in conference.

Oct 17, 2:10 PM EDT
The 20 Republicans who voted against Jordan

Twenty House Republicans cast their ballot for someone other than Jordan.

Seven voted for Scalise: Reps. Tony Gonzales of Texas, Kay Granger of Texas, Mario Diaz Balart of Florida, Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, John Rutherford of Florida, Reps. Mike Simpson of Idaho and Steve Womack of Arkansas.

Six voted McCarthy: Reps. Lori Chavez DeRemer of Oregon, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Carlos Gimenez of Florida, Jennifer Kiggans of Virginia, Mike Lawler of New York and Doug LaMalfa of California.

Three voted for former New York congressman Lee Zeldin: Reps. Anthony D’Espositio, Andrew Garbarino and Nick LaLota — all members of the New York delegation.

Kansas Rep. Jake Ellzey voted for Mike Garcia of California; Colorado’s Ken Buck voted for House Majority Whip Tom Emmer; Michigan Rep. John James voted for Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole; and Indiana Rep. Victoria Spartz voted for Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

Oct 17, 1:56 PM EDT
Jordan loses first round of voting

Jordan lost his first bid for the speakership. He received 200 votes, but needed at least 217 to clinch the gavel.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, nominated by Democrats, received 212 votes. Twenty lawmakers voted for someone else.

Oct 17, 1:33 PM EDT
McCarthy, ousted exactly 2 weeks ago, votes for Jordan

McCarthy, toppled by a small group of GOP hard-liners on Oct. 3, voted for Jordan to be his successor.

The moment was met with applause from the Republican side of the chamber.

But Jordan is still on track to lose on the first ballot, with 15 Republicans casting a vote for someone else.

Oct 17, 1:14 PM EDT
Jordan already falls short of vote needed

The vote is ongoing, but Jordan does not appear to have the support needed to win on the first ballot.

At least five Republicans have voted for someone else.

Two lawmakers, Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Rep. Lori Chavez-Deremer of Oregon voted for McCarthy. Anthony D’Esposito voted for former Rep. Lee Zeldin., Rep. Mario Diaz Balart of Florida voted for Steve Scalise. Rep. Jake Ellzey voted for fellow Republican Rep. Mike Garcia.

Oct 17, 1:02 PM EDT
The math behind the speaker vote

There are 432 members in attendance for the upcoming vote to elect a speaker, according to the quorum call.

That means that 217 is the majority threshold needed to win the gavel, presuming every member in attendance votes for someone by name.

Jordan can only afford to lose three votes.

The speaker vote began shortly before 1 p.m.

Oct 17, 1:00 PM EDT
Democrats nominate Hakeem Jeffries, slam Jordan’s record

Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., nominated House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for speaker.

Aguilar focused much of his remarks on Jordan’s record, noting that one of Jordan’s own colleagues once described him as a “legislative terrorist.”

“When New Yorkers were recovering from Hurricane Sandy and needed Congress to act, he said ‘no,'” Aguilar said. “When wildfires ravaged the west, destroying homes and businesses and those residents needed disaster assistance, he said ‘no.’ When the Mississippi river floods devastated the south in communities across state lines and needed Congress to act, he said ‘no.’ When our veterans were suffering from disease and dying as a result of their service to our country and Congress passed a bipartisan solution, he said ‘no.'”

Democrats seated behind Aguilar responded to each example with the chant, “He said no.”

“This body is talking about elevating a speaker nominee who has not passed a single bill in 16 years,” Aguilar said. “These are not the actions of someone interested in governing or bettering the lives of everyday Americans.”

Oct 17, 12:49 PM EDT
Stefanik nominates Jordan for speaker

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., rose to nominate Jordan for speaker. She received rounding applause from Republicans in the chamber.

“We are at a time of great crisis across America,” Stefanik said. “A time of historic challenges in this very chamber. And a time when heinous acts of terror and evil have been committed against our great ally, Israel.”

Stefanik went on to praise Jordan as a “patriot” and a “winner.”

“He’s an America-first warrior who wins the toughest of fights,” she said. “Going after corruption and delivering accountability at the highest levels of government, on behalf of we the people. Jim is the voice of the American people who have felt voiceless for far too long.”

Oct 17, 12:22 PM EDT
Quorum call is underway

Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry opened the chamber at 12:03 p.m., quickly moving the lower chamber into a prayer led by Margaret Grun Kibben.

Following the opening prayer and the pledge of allegiance, the House began a quorum call to establish the members who are present and voting.

Oct 17, 12:14 PM EDT
Jordan ignores questions on 2020 election

Jordan’s actions leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack have been under scrutiny in his run for speaker.

Colorado Rep. Ken Buck, one Republican holdout, has pointed to Jordan’s past comments about the 2020 election and Jan. 6.

Buck told ABC News on Monday, “I think Jim at some point If he is going to lead this conference … is going to have to be strong and say Donald Trump didn’t win the election, and we need to move forward. Hopefully, you know, for Republicans, we get a Republican candidate in the White House.”

ABC News pushed Jordan on that point ahead of the vote.

“I have been very clear about that,” he responded. “There were states that unconstitutionally changed our election law and that’s what I objected to, as did the vast, vast majority of Republican members of Congress.”

Asked if he would acknowledge that Trump lost the 2020 election, Jordan appeared to hear the question but did not respond and got onto the elevator. Two hours later, another reporter asked the same question and Jordan ignored it.

Oct 17, 12:04 PM EDT
Jordan projects confidence

Jordan spent the final hours meeting with GOP holdouts and working the phones ahead of the noon vote. There are still at least 10 holdouts and several members who have not said publicly how they will vote.

“We are going to find out here pretty soon,” Jordan told ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott when asked if he has enough support to get elected.

Oct 17, 12:01 PM EDT
House chamber filling up ahead of vote

Minutes before the House opens for business, the gallery of the House chamber is filling up with more than 200 tourists and other visitors to the Capitol as journalists begin to settle into the press galleries and lawmakers arrive on the floor.

Among the first members on the floor is Republican Rep. Frank Lucas of Oklahoma, who is using a walker as he recovers from a major operation after sustaining a hip injury farming. Lucas took a seat in the back near the aisle, chatting briefly with Republican Rep. Randy Weber of Texas.

Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson, who is rumored to be mulling his own bid for speaker if Jordan fails, is seated at the GOP leadership table. He walked over to the center aisle to talk with Colorado Democrat Joe Neguse.

Michigan Democrat Dan Kildee is seated behind the Democrat leadership table. Neguse is now seated there, chatting with his colleague. Rep. Debbie Dingel of Michigan is also seated on the Democratic side, scrolling through her phone.

Tennessee Republican Andy Ogles is the first of the Freedom Caucus members to stake their usual spot along the center aisle.

Oct 17, 11:55 AM EDT
Timing of the first-round speaker vote

Here’s the timing for what we expect for the first round of speaker votes this afternoon:

The clerk (Kevin McCumber, acting clerk) calls the House of Representatives to order at noon EST.
Prayer led by Margaret Grun Kibben — the first female chaplain of the House.
Pledge of Allegiance led by the House clerk.
Quorum call is ordered by the clerk. Members are called to vote electronically by state. At this point, we will hear the official number of lawmakers present and voting.
Election for speaker with nominations made by selected lawmakers. Typically, one lawmaker from each party is nominated — in this case, Jordan is the Republican nominee and Jeffries is the Democratic nominee. House Republican Conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik will nominate Jordan; House Democratic Caucus chairman Pete Aguilar will nominate Jeffries.
Debate on the nomination of candidates for speaker is allowed but not customary.
“Tellers” are appointed to count “viva voce” voice votes, usually two members from each side of the aisle. A “viva voce” vote is one spoken aloud. The (usually) four tellers take a seat at the dais and tally votes on paper.
Roll is then called by the House reading clerk with members calling out the last name of their chosen speaker; the clerk repeats the choice so everyone hears it. This could take up to one hour.
The House clerk announces the results; appoints an escort committee to formally escort the new Speaker-elect into the chamber.

Oct 17, 10:57 AM EDT
Does Jordan have the votes?

Currently the whole number of the House is 433, with two vacancies that won’t be filled until later this year. Presuming all 433 members vote, Jordan would need 217 votes to be named speaker.

But a whip count from ABC News shows it’s unlikely Jordan, who won the GOP nomination on Friday, has locked down the votes. He can only afford to lose four votes. As of right now, up to 10 Republicans have signaled that they plan to vote for someone other than Jordan on the first ballot. No Democrats are expected to support Jordan’s nomination.

A top aide to Jordan told ABC News that the congressman has “been meeting with members and making calls” this morning ahead of the vote.

Oct 17, 10:54 AM EDT
What to expect

The House will convene at noon today to consider the nomination of Jordan for speaker.

First, a quorum call will be ordered by the clerk for members to establish the official number of lawmakers present and voting.

Then, the election for speaker will take place. Typically, one lawmaker from each party is nominated: Jordan for Republicans and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for Democrats. Lawmakers will then have a period of debate before a roll call vote in which each member will be called upon to state who they support for speaker.

If the first round fails, they have to restart this process or the House might recess so members could meet behind closed doors in conference.

Oct 17, 10:55 AM EDT
Who is Jim Jordan?

The Ohio Republican won the GOP nomination for speaker last week.

A conservative firebrand and favorite of former President Donald Trump, Jordan was first elected to Congress in 2006 and in 2015, founded the House Freedom Caucus — a conservative group that supports hard-line stances on government spending, health care, immigration and other issues.

Now, as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Jordan is one of the Republicans leading the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and investigations into his son, Hunter.

-ABC’s Sarah Beth Hensley

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