NASHVILLE — U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Southeast Tennessee, is calling on his fellow House Republicans to get behind Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, as the GOP’s next speaker.
“I urge my colleagues to unite around Jim Jordan to be the next Speaker of the House of Representatives so we can get back to work delivering for the American people,” the Ooltewah lawmaker wrote in a social media post Monday.
Fleischmann last week backed Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana. But Scalise was unable to muster sufficient support in the Republican Conference to guarantee a floor victory in the ongoing drama that has frozen the lower chamber for some two weeks amid an attack on Israel, looming budget problems and other issues.
Republican problems came after eight GOP members, including U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett of Knoxville, moved to vacate the chair held by then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-California. Democrats joined in moving to oust McCarthy two weeks ago.
Fleischmann in an earlier tweet called Jordan “my good friend and a strong conservative,” adding, “I was proud to vote for Jim to be our Speaker-designate last week, and I look forward to voting for him to be our Speaker on the House Floor.”