Staff Reports
In a remarkable display of grassroots activism, conservatives from across the nation are rallying behind Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) as he competes for the position of Speaker of the House. These passionate activists have been flooding phone lines, urging members of Congress to unite and elect Jordan as Speaker to mend the divisions within the Republican conference. The overwhelming level of support and organization behind Jordan has taken many Beltway insiders by surprise, as phone lines remain consistently busy due to the sheer volume of calls.
My prediction → @Jim_Jordan will be the 56th Speaker of the House pic.twitter.com/YqjgpJXQHE
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) October 17, 2023
Jordan's strong grassroots backing is consistent with his role as the founding chairman of the House Freedom Caucus. However, the extent of support from conservative leaders nationwide has caught some observers off guard. Even those who initially opposed Jordan's bid for Speaker have come into line after being inundated with calls from grassroots activists. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, is one of those who originally opposed Jordan but has now endorsed him after facing pressure from constituents.
The grassroots conservative strategy has proven effective throughout the day, with several holdouts, like Reps. Ken Calvert (R-CA) and Ann Wagner (R-MO), aligning themselves with Jordan. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has even joined the effort by participating in Spaces events on X (formerly known as Twitter) to encourage positive grassroots calls to members of Congress. The central message of fostering party unity has been a key theme among conservatives advocating for Jordan as Speaker.
While Jordan still faces a challenging road ahead of the Tuesday vote, he has made substantial progress over the weekend and Monday. If he secures the Speaker position, it would mark a significant victory for grassroots conservatives and potentially lead to significant policy achievements for the Republican party. Jordan's ability to unify the GOP and garner support for critical legislative priorities could become a potent force against the Democratic-controlled U.S. Senate and President Joe Biden's administration.
