'Biggest roadblock': Jim Jordan's past antics threaten to kill Speaker hopes

The past antics of Congressman Jim Jordan are fueling dread among vulnerable Republicans as he jockeys to become the next Speaker of the House, according to a report.

The Ohio representative’s chairing of a subcommittee looking into the weaponization of the federal government, along with his defenses of Donald Trump and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election result have made him a sweetheart of the right.

But the many Republican members of Congress in more moderate states fear being tied to him – and they could cripple his chances of taking the gavel, according to The Independent’s senior Washington correspondent, Eric Garcia.

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“To become speaker, that means he cannot just rely on right-wing Republicans who have looked to him for years, and he cannot simply rely on a majority of Republicans, but rather he would need to get an almost wholly unified conference to even have a shot,” Garcia wrote.

“That might prove to be his biggest roadblock: Should he become speaker, he would be the highest-ranking elected Republican in the country and every Republican would immediately be tied with him.

“That might give Republicans who are from swing districts pause and ultimately lead to them not choosing Mr Jordan, regardless of what Mr Trump says.”

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Trump endorsed Jordan for the position Thursday night after dropping consideration of running as speaker himself.

“Republicans have about just as many Republicans from swing districts who would not want to be associated with Mr Jordan,” Garcia wrote.