House Republicans could choose a rare but risky method to put Rep. Jim Jordan in the speakership on Tuesday. He failed to get the necessary votes during the first round of voting.
Republicans could decide to hold a plurality election, which would decide the next speaker based on who gets the most votes, instead of the traditional majority method, which requires the speaker to garner 217 votes.The move to a plurality election, which was last used shortly before the Civil War, would be risky. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has been securing more votes than Jordan due to a divided GOP.
The second occurrence came in 1856, during the 34th Congress, amid concessions and declarations on slavery. The House nominated 21 people for the position, representing the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, the Know Nothings, and a declining Whig Party. The chamber was able to dwindle the field to three candidates, but they were deadlocked for two months. Massachusetts Rep. Nathaniel Banks of the Know Nothings was eventually selected as the new leader following the plurality election.
Jordan was elected as the conference's nominee on Friday and could still secure the 217 votes needed to become the next speaker. However, he only secured 200 votes during the first round of voting.