Rep. Jim Jordan's (R-OH) allies are executing a full-court press on Republican holdouts to his House speaker bid, but those efforts seem to be backfiring.
The Ohio Republican's network of supporters have been pushing a vote-Jordan-or-else message, with arm-twisting threats and veiled threats of primary challenges, but those tactics have only aggravated skeptics and placed his campaign in danger of failing, reported Politico.
“Jim’s been nice, one-on-one, but his broader team has been playing hardball,” said Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), who said his wife has received anonymous texts and emails pushing the same message: "Your husband better support Jim Jordan.”
Republicans are careful to point out that Jordan hasn't been directly involved, but aggressive messaging from local conservatives leaders have left a bitter taste in their mouths.
“I think some of it did backfire," said Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), "and I think it was to the detriment of Jim."
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Donalds did vote for Jordan, and another Republican who backed his speaker bid said the Ohio Republican and his lieutenants are doing additional damage as they called them to try and "stop the bleeding," but that lawmaker warned those calls were “pissing off” members instead of rallying them, while others warned that conservative media pressure was also backfiring.
“He’s lost support because of this,” said another House Republican, referring to efforts by Fox News host Sean Hannity and others to put pressure on GOP members to back Jordan. “Constant smears — it’s just dishonesty at its core.”
Those tactics, not surprisingly, are even less effective with Republicans who opposed Jordan as speaker.
“The one thing that will never work with me — if you try to pressure me, if you try to threaten me, then I shut off,” said Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL).
Jordan and his allies are working the phones ahead of another vote on his speaker bid, but Republicans are losing patience.
“I’ll go one more," said one centrist Republican. "But that is it."
