The House has just reached its 21st day without a speaker, after prying the gavel from Rep. Kevin McCarthy on the afternoon Oct. 3.
Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., has emerged as the GOP’s fifth nominee this year… but McCarthy, R-Calif., has a different plan.
Three insiders told NBC News that McCarthy has been floating a plan to run for the speakership again and choose Rep. Jim Jordan as his assistant speaker.
One GOP representative explained why. “We’re desperate,” the lawmaker told NBC News.
Moderate Republicans have remained loyal to McCarthy even after his fall. Fox News Digital reported that 43 representatives voted to nominate McCarthy during Tuesday’s GOP meeting, with Johnson reportedly receiving 128 votes.
McCarthy has declined to confirm the reports of a plan to make Jordan the assistant speaker. He simply told Fox News Digital, “Republicans are talking.”
Jordan, R-Ohio, has declined to comment at all. This month, Jordan became the GOP’s third nominee for the speakership, but he withdrew his bid after failing three times to win a majority of votes on the House floor.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., always named an assistant speaker during her second speakership. Since 2019, assistant speakers have included Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M., and Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass.
Plus, the Democrats have long been naming an “assistant to the Democratic leader.” They established the position under a Republican speaker in 1999, and Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., serves as the current occupant.
The Republicans have never established an equivalent position… not all Republicans are happy with the reports of McCarthy’s new proposal.
“That’s a bad idea,” Rep. Tim Burchett, a Tennessee Republican who voted to oust McCarthy, told NBC News. “Where is that even allowed?”
However, some skeptics may change their minds after an effort to whip votes for a McCarthy-Jordan team.
“I’ll take a good look at it,” Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Fla., told NBC News. “If we get to that, it’s not a bad thing.”
As of now, Mike Johnson remains the GOP’s nominee, following the withdrawal of Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., the previous nominee. Like the four nominees before him, Johnson may fail to secure 217 votes on the House floor.
McCarthy is reportedly growing impatient. Two Republicans told NBC News that McCarthy had multiple “outbursts” in a closed-door meeting, following the speedy move to nominate Johnson.
“This is not how you elect a speaker,” McCarthy reportedly shouted.
McCarthy himself became House speaker only after January’s 15 rounds of voting.