MANSFIELD, Ohio — As the unprecedented disarray in electing a new House speaker continues to play out in Washington D.C., 3News went to Richland County in Rep. Jim Jordan’s district to talk to the voters he represents.
The reaction to Jordan's bid for House speaker was mixed.
“I think it’s a little bit of a cluster,” said Pete Kenyon, from Mansfield. “It’s frustrating that there’s things pending and Republicans can’t seem to get it in order.”
Kenyon is one of many of Jordan’s constituents who are paying attention to the chaotic scene at the nation’s capital.
“I mean, I like (former House speaker Kevin) McCarthy too, but Jordan seems like he’s got a better head on his shoulders,” said Jim Grogg from Mansfield. “Every time I’ve seen him, he does a great job at putting them in their place, I thought, speaking his mind.”
Jordan has represented Ohio’s 4th Congressional District since 2007, and his political map now includes all of Richland and Ashland counties. He won reelection easily last year with 200,773 votes — in fact, Jordan has won 65% to 85% of the vote in his district during his last five elections.
But his campaign for speaker of the House of Representatives is proving to be a different story.
“I think we need to look at another person,” Connie Walls said. “I don’t think he’ll get the vote. I don’t think he’ll get enough votes to be speaker of the House.”
During the first round of voting, Jordan received 200 votes from Republicans in his conference. Twenty of them voted for others, including McCarthy and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
“You know what got McCarthy bumped out was he reached across the aisle. Oh my God, what a sin!” Mark Schneider said, sarcastically. “And Jordan is not prepared to do that.”
The House has already seen an unprecedented two weeks without a speaker. And after McCarthy was voted out, it was never expected to be easy path for the 59-year-old Jordan.
“Oh, I think he’ll (Jordan) be an excellent House speaker,” Donald Hodgson said. “Because he’s a real Republican. He’s not a 'RINO' (term for 'Republican In Name Only') like McCarthy.”
Hodgson insisted that Jordan as House speaker “would be good for the whole country. Not just for here. He’s a smart man. He’ll do the right thing.”
Still, others see his record as not fitting for the role of speaker of the House and second in line to become president.
“Jim Jordan — a strong election denier, a rabble-rouser, someone who obviously doesn’t seem like he’s going to work with the other side of the aisle — wouldn’t be my first choice,” Kenyon said.
“[Our country] is in distress,” Schneider said. “And the way we’re going to solve it is the way we have always solved it, which is together.”
