by CHQ Staff
Our friend Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy, yesterday used his “Secure Freedom Moment” radio program to encourage Rep. Jim Jordan to run for Speaker of the House.
Gaffney, the conservative national security expert, echoed CHQ Chairman Richard A. Viguerie’s endorsement of Jordan, putting it this way:
House Speaker Paul Ryan’s announcement yesterday that he will not seek reelection offers congressional Republicans an opportunity to pull out of the political death-spiral that imperils their majority and invites the impeachment of President Trump.
The question is: Will the House GOP seize the opportunity to excite and engage voters indispensable to such outcomes? Or will it alienate them further, ensuring that the base stays home – with predictably devastating results?
That choice will be determined by whether the Republican caucus tries to fob off on its base another establishment politician, presumably drawn from the ranks of Ryan’s lieutenants. If, instead, in the days ahead the House GOP embraces as its next leader an authentic conservative with passion, energy and, most importantly, Make America Great Again principles, they will give the base a reason to turn out – and prevail.
Jim Jordan for Speaker.
Let’s roll!
For his part, Rep. Jordan has remained coy, but on message, telling Fox News’ Todd Starnes “it’s too early to be talking” about who could be a possible replacement for Speaker Paul Ryan, while acknowledging that his name was being mentioned as a candidate.
Rep. Jordan told Starnes that whoever the next Speaker is, they need to be consistent with the mandate of the 2016 election or “we’re not going to be in the majority.”
Jordan also explained why winning races in November is so crucial. “I think what’s most important is we keep the majority so that the Speaker isn’t Nancy Pelosi,” Rep. Jordan said.
Amen to that!
In an interview with Jessica Wehrman and Jack Torry of The Dayton (Ohio) Daily News, Jordan insisted Republicans’ focus right now wasn’t on the next speaker; instead it was about making sure the party continues to hold the House majority.
He said it was “way too early to talk about who’s running” for speaker, refusing to rule in or out the possibility he himself might run.
“What I’m focused on doing for the next six months is making sure that we’re getting something done with the mandate of 2016,” he said.
And that, of course, is exactly what the Speaker of the House should be doing, as opposed to what Paul Ryan has been doing, which is impeding the mandate of 2016, not “getting something done” with it.
While many DC insiders have dismissed the House Freedom Caucus, which Jordan helped found and once chaired, McClatchy’s Brian Murphy pointed out that retirements of so-called moderate Republicans mean the conservative House Freedom Caucus is poised to gain power in the GOP caucus — and have a crucial say as to who runs it next year.
There are currently 237 Republicans in the House, a total that does not include four seats left vacant by GOP resignations. At least 43 Republicans have said they are leaving the House, because of retirement, resignation or to run for another office. There are about 35 to 40 Freedom Caucus members, reports Murphy.
Many of the retirements are in districts Democrat Hillary Clinton carried in the 2016 presidential election or in districts narrowly won by President Donald Trump Murphy noted.
Freedom Caucus members generally come from deeply conservative districts, which are unlikely to flip even if Democrats enjoy a strong election season as history and current polling suggests, observed Murphy.
The Freedom Caucus, which played a significant role in the retirement of former Speaker John Boehner in 2015 and helped stop Kevin McCarthy from succeeding him, knows it can help elect a leader that is at least as friendly as Ryan was to its interests.
“If we control enough votes to veto who the next speaker is going to be, do you think it will be someone who engages less with the Freedom Caucus?” Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., the current caucus chairman said according to Murphy’s reporting.
“Whoever is the next speaker, what matters most, I think it’s time for a complete reset of our leadership. Congress’ approval ratings are who knows how low,” Rep. Jim Jordan told Murphy. “It’s time for a reset and a refocus on one primary objective: Doing what the American people elected us to do, doing what we told them we were going to do.”
I’d be fine with either Jordan, Meadows, or Scalise. McCarthy got caught with his fly down with Renee Elmers and Ryan endorses him. Enough of the Tom Donahue/CoC RINO types obstructing the MAGA agenda!
It is PAST time the Speaker is not just another rino/gopE. I hope Jordan has support–the Freedom Caucus needs to go into overdrive here. They allowed that weazel paulie ryano to become Speaker because they believed his lies and he backstabbed them over and over. ENOUGH