In a recent development that some may view as a strategic move by Congressman Jim Jordan, a staunch conservative and a favorite among many moms like myself, it appears that he has decided not to pursue a third run for the position of House Speaker. Instead, he has thrown his support behind Representative Patrick McHenry, whom he endorses as the Speaker Designee until at least January 2024. Jordan made this announcement following a closed-door meeting with his fellow GOP colleagues earlier today.

Jordan, faced two prior floor ballots earlier this week and unfortunately fell short of the required 217 votes. In the first round, he garnered the support of 200 of his fellow Republicans, and in the second round, only 199. On the other side of the aisle, Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries secured all 212 Democrat votes during both rounds of voting.

Interestingly, around 22 moderate Republican holdouts opted to cast their votes in an unpredictable manner, supporting various candidates, including former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Iowa Representative Steve Scalise, and others. Their choices seemed to stem from their frustration with Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz, who played a role in ousting McCarthy earlier this month.

While Jordan had the endorsement of former President Donald Trump and even the support of McCarthy himself, he was perceived as the primary option for House Republicans. This was in part due to the withdrawal of Representative Scalise, the GOP’s Majority Leader, from the race, as he was unable to garner sufficient support from the more conservative members of the caucus.

Importantly, Jordan’s decision doesn’t rule out the possibility of him seeking the Speaker’s role in the future. It simply means that, for now, McHenry will step in as the “temporary Speaker” until a more permanent decision is made by Republicans. To ensure the House functions smoothly during this interim period, it appears that McHenry will need to be granted expanded powers, a move that lawmakers, including Jordan, are actively pursuing. However, it’s worth noting that Congressman Gaetz has voiced strong opposition to this approach, characterizing it as a “twisting” of the U.S. Constitution, and has called for the House to remain in session until a Speaker is officially selected. As conservative moms, we will be keeping a close eye on these developments and hoping for a swift and stable resolution in the best interests of our great nation.