Michael Steele, former chair of the Republican National Committee, mocked Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) for a boldly insincere message on social media on Tuesday.
“We must stop attacking each other and come together,” Jordan pleaded with his fellow Republicans hours after 20 members of his own conference voted against his bid to become speaker on Tuesday.
But Jordan is one of the chamber’s most divisive members, and his allies have reportedly been trying to strong-arm GOP lawmakers into supporting his bid for speaker.
Politico reported that the behind-the-scenes campaign has even included “veiled threats of primary challenges” for Republicans who don’t toe the line and vote for Jordan for speaker.
Given that history, Steele saw right though the plea, writing on X:
Jordan is a close ally of Donald Trump, who has backed him in his bid for speaker.
But other Republicans have been openly critical of Jordan.
“I’m concerned about the inability to acknowledge that Joe Biden won the election and the activities surrounding January 6th,” Ken Buck (R-Colo.) told Colorado Public Radio.
“If Rs nominate Jordan to be Speaker, they will be abandoning the Constitution. They’ll lose the House majority and they’ll deserve to,” Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) wrote on X.
Former Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) was even more blunt during a 2017 interview with Politico.
“Jordan was a terrorist as a legislator going back to his days in the Ohio House and Senate,” he said. “A terrorist. A legislative terrorist.”
The House is expected to vote on Jordan again on Wednesday.