Some lawmakers split over potential McCarthy-Jordan unity ticket idea
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October 24, 2023 - Rep. Mike Johnson selected as next speaker nominee

By Mike Hayes, Shania Shelton and Jack Forrest, CNN

Updated 9:09 a.m. ET, October 25, 2023
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8:07 p.m. ET, October 24, 2023

Some lawmakers split over potential McCarthy-Jordan unity ticket idea

From CNN's Melanie Zanona 

Rep. Cory Mills told CNN he would “never” support a Kevin McCarthy-Jim Jordan unity ticket, calling such an arrangement “unconstitutional.”

A unity ticket with the former House speaker back in his role and Jordan as McCarthy's deputy is actively being discussed between McCarthy allies and Jordan allies a solution for a fractured GOP conference.

Mills, a Florida Republican, is backing Rep. Byron Donalds for speaker but would not commit to backing whoever the next nominee is. 

However, Rep. Carlos Gimenez, also a Florida Republican, told CNN he would support a McCarthy-Jordan unity ticket. He voted against Jordan on the floor last week but noted he has “always” wanted McCarthy back as speaker. He also confirmed it’s an idea he has heard about. 

7:57 p.m. ET, October 24, 2023

House GOP will hold a roll-call vote behind closed doors tomorrow to see if nominee can get to 217

From CNN's Manu Raju

House Republicans will start multiple rounds of secret-ballot voting tonight behind closed doors at 8 p.m. ET to nominate a speaker designee.

House Republicans will then leave for the night and are expected back at 9 a.m. ET tomorrow. That's when the conference will hold a roll-call vote behind closed doors to see if the nominee can secure the 217 votes to win the gavel.

South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman said, “I think we’ll have a nominee tonight.” 

He said if their designee can get to 217 during the Wednesday morning vote, they’ll go to the floor for an official vote in front of the entire House. 

Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett echoed Norman, and dismissed the idea of a shared Kevin McCarthy-Jim Jordan unity ticket that has been floated by some lawmakers, saying “that’s not going to happen.”

“That’s a bad idea. Where’s that even allowed?” he said.

7:40 p.m. ET, October 24, 2023

McCarthy-Jordan GOP unity ticket could pick up steam, sources say

From CNN's Melanie Zanona

The idea of a Republican House speaker unity ticket with former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as speaker and Jim Jordan as his deputy is actively being discussed between McCarthy allies and Jordan allies, sources tell CNN, who think it could gain steam if the GOP once again fails to reach consensus tonight. 

Under the arrangement being discussed and pitched to members, McCarthy would run as speaker while vowing to make Jordan his “assistant speaker” if elected — a made-up and largely symbolic position, but one former Speaker Nancy Pelosi once previously bestowed on one of her deputies. 

Jordan could maintain his powerful role as chair of the House Judiciary Committee, according to a source familiar with the strategizing. 

Still, the idea seen as a long shot — but could theoretically be a way to unite the badly divided wings of the party, sources said. 

6:58 p.m. ET, October 24, 2023

All current speaker candidates objected to certifying 2020 election

From CNN's Haley Talbot

All five candidates for speaker this round objected to certifying the 2020 election. 

Speaker designee Tom Emmer saw his bid for speaker slip away in part because of his vote to certify the election, which came up behind closed doors, as he looked to win over hardline conservatives.

7:06 p.m. ET, October 24, 2023

Republican from swing district says current House chaos "hurts the whole Republican brand"

From CNN's Sam Fossum and Manu Raju

Williams speaks with CNN's Manu Raju on Tuesday, October 24.
Williams speaks with CNN's Manu Raju on Tuesday, October 24. CNN

House Republican Rep. Brandon Williams, a freshman from a swing district in New York, said that the current chaos in the House hurts the GOP brand. 

“I think it hurts the whole Republican brand, whether it’s in a swing district or not. And the American people want confidence that we will govern, that we have responsible people to govern,” he told CNN’s Manu Raju.

He added: “But I believe in our conference, our ability to hold us together. I think we’re going to do it. It’s not pretty to see how the sausage is made, but I believe we’re going to get there.”

6:49 p.m. ET, October 24, 2023

White House chides "leaderless" House GOP for infighting

From CNN's Kayla Tausche

The White House called out House Republicans for failing to coalesce around a nominee for speaker and placed early blame on the GOP for a looming government shutdown set for November 17 if Congress can’t reach an agreement to extend federal funding. 

White House spokesman Andrew Bates, in a statement, said Republicans are opting to fight among themselves rather than consider a $105 billion supplemental spending proposal from President Joe Biden, which would support wars in Israel and Ukraine, fund US border security, and bolster Taiwan’s military readiness. 

“Now, the House GOP is mired in seemingly endless finger-pointing and competitions to take the most extreme positions imaginable, whether it’s backing radical nationwide abortion bans, gutting Medicare and Social Security benefits, opposing the right to marry, or supporting dangerous conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. Now we’re 24 days from a House Republican shutdown,” Bates said in the statement. 
6:38 p.m. ET, October 24, 2023

No speaker vote expected on the House floor tonight 

From CNN's Haley Talbot

The House is set to adjourn shortly, meaning no floor votes for speaker are expected tonight as the GOP conference looks to decide on their next Speaker designee.

House Republicans are currently holding a candidate forum to hear from the candidiates vying for the gavel. They're poised to hold another secret-ballot vote to nominate a new speaker candidate at 8 p.m. ET.

6:38 p.m. ET, October 24, 2023

Rep. Kevin Hern drops out of speaker's race and endorses Mike Johnson

From CNN's Lauren Fox, Haley Talbot and Kristin Wilson

Rep. Kevin Hern has dropped out of the race for speaker.

“I want everyone to know this race has gotten to the point where it’s gotten crazy. This is more about people right now than it should be," he said. "This should be about America and America’s greatness."

He added that he's now supporting Rep. Mike Johnson. "I think he’d make a great speaker," he said.

6:36 p.m. ET, October 24, 2023

Scalise: "We gotta keep working until we get there"

From CNN Melanie Zanona and Lauren Koenig

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise speaks to the media as he arrives to a House Republican candidates forum where congressmen who are running for Speaker of the House will present their platforms in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill on October 24, in Washington, DC.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise speaks to the media as he arrives to a House Republican candidates forum where congressmen who are running for Speaker of the House will present their platforms in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill on October 24, in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who had to drop his bid for speaker nearly two weeks ago, said, “If we gotta keep working it, we will, someone will, and we gotta keep working until we get there.”

“There’s a lot of different folks that are gonna make another run at it so we just gotta keep working until we get it done,” the Louisiana Republican added.

Pressed for his reaction to the GOP's latest Speaker designee Tom Emmer dropping out, Scalise said, “As the whip, you look at the votes, and he met with a lot of folks who said they couldn’t vote for him on the floor and realized that 217 weren’t there, cause ultimately that’s what it takes to get elected on the floor.”