Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is reportedly close to securing the votes he needs to become speaker of the House of Representatives, but some of his Republican colleagues are crying foul at the hardnosed tactics Jordan has been using to secure votes.
Axios reports that one unnamed House Republican has said that Jordan's allies have issued primary threats to members who do not back him on Tuesday's speaker vote, and said that "the bullying tactics need to stop."
A spokesperson for Jordan flatly denied that any primary threats were issued to Republicans who are resisting giving Jordan the gavel, however.
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Axios also reports that some Republicans in swing districts are still wary of Jordan, who has built a reputation as a bomb thrower and not a legislator, and who has even been described by one former Republican House speaker as a "political terrorist."
Although Jordan has relatively low name recognition among American voters, House Democrats have indicated they think there's enough baggage to make him a major millstone around Republicans' necks.
In fact, Politico reported on Tuesday that "Democrats are salivating over prospect of saddling vulnerable Republicans with Jordan’s record — from his history opposing abortion rights and pushing entitlement cuts to his links to the Ohio State University sexual abuse scandal that he has figured into."
