A memo crafted by the campaign arm of Democrats in the House of Representatives instructs the conference to use the possibility of far right Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) becoming speaker of the House as a political weapon against Republicans in the 2024 congressional elections.
The memo, which was written by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and first reported on by NBC News, says that in the event that Jordan wins the speakership, Democrats should emphasize to voters that Jordan is a right-wing extremist, and that the Republican Party has endorsed his style of politics in political messaging.
Entitled “Messaging Guidance on GOP Extremism Under a Potential Speaker Jordan,” the memo notes that “a Speaker Jordan means extremism and far-right priorities will govern the House of Representatives.”
“It is imperative that our caucus makes clear to voters just how extreme Congressman Jordan is and how his Speakership would negatively impact working families across the country, threaten democratic norms, and weaken relationships with our allies,” the DCCC document states.
Should Republicans succeed in elevating Jordan, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, to the speakership, Democrats should emphasize to voters, particularly those in swing districts, that “there are no more moderates left in the Republican conference capable of standing up to the far right,” and that Jordan can only win the speakership “if so-called ‘moderates’ continue to cave and get him there.”
The memo includes several examples of Jordan’s extremism, highlighting his attempts to help former President Donald Trump overturn his 2020 election loss to President Joe Biden, his refusal to comply with subpoena orders in the investigation of the Capitol attack, and his peddling of far right conspiracy theories, including the xenophobic “Great Replacement Theory” that falsely alleges a leftist plot to eliminate white people in the U.S. and internationally.
The memo also reminds Democrats to emphasize that Jordan is a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, which has “torpedoed comprehensive immigration reform, sought repeatedly to kill the Affordable Care Act, and led the charge on multiple government shutdowns.”
“The DCCC is committed to ensuring that every battleground Member of the Republican conference who stands and votes for a Speaker Jordan will be making a career ending move,” the document concludes.
The memo comes as several Republican holdouts indicated yesterday during a private conference meeting that they will support Jordan for the speakership, despite voting against him in a vote late last week.
It is currently unclear whether Jordan has secured enough votes from GOP House members to become speaker. As the chamber is almost evenly divided, with Republicans holding a majority over Democrats by just five members, Jordan must receive 217 votes out of the 222 in his conference in order to win the position, assuming all Democrats vote against him. There are still a significant number of Republicans who aren’t ready to support Jordan, due in large part to his extremist positions and how they could affect the party’s fundraising in the future.
Several Republican lawmakers and aides have confided to CNN that Jordan’s political views will likely cause donors to stop giving, as their donations will look like endorsements of far right extremists. One donor told CNN that he has “vowed” personally not to give to Jordan specifically, and that other donors he knows would also opt to help Senate candidates rather than House Republicans if the Ohio congressman is picked to lead the House.
Despite uphill challenges he will face this week, Jordan has indicated that he’s willing to go through multiple rounds of ballots in order to get the job, ready to lose “again and again, in order to overtake his opponents,” Politico reported.
However, that in itself is potentially harmful to Jordan’s candidacy, as many Republicans are fearful of a repeat of what happened to former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy earlier this year, when it took 15 ballots over several days for him to secure the speakership.
“This feels like a bluff,” political commentator Russell Drew said on social media. “Jordan has some momentum, but Biden district Republicans have the jitters.”
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