Jim Jordan Becomes First Formal Candidate For Speaker

Rep Jim Jordan (R-OH), Chair of the House Judiciary Committee and a founding member of the hardline conservative House Freedom Caucus, has become the first House rep to formally advance himself as a candidate to become the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.

• Jordan wrote, in a letter to colleagues, "Far-left progressives are destroying our communities, our security, our future."
• Jordan continued: "We must get our fiscal house in order and reduce spending so that we can leave more to the next generation than a crushing deficit," adding that he has been "among the leaders in pushing for fiscal discipline."
• Jordan is popular amongst the conservative wing and has gained support from McCarthy loyalists since initially opposing the former Speaker's bid for the gavel.
• Despite his popularity in the right of the party, Jordan will find it difficult to gain support from the center and his path to the 218 votes required to win the speaker ballot is unclear.
• More analysis on McCarthy's ouster and the next steps for House Republicans in today's edition of our US Daily Brief.