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West Michigan Congressman reacts to failed U.S. House Speaker votes

U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga portrait
votesmart.org
U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, (R-Zeeland, MI-4)

Wednesday, U.S. Representative Jim Jordan failed for a second time to receive the votes necessary to become U.S. House Speaker. Tuesday, after the first failed vote, U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga addressed the media.

Wednesday on Capitol Hill, a second vote for U.S. Representative Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican, was called.

“Huizenga…Jordan…Jordan.”

U.S. Representative Bill Huizenga supports Jordan, but 22 of his Republican colleagues do not. Jordan must secure 217 votes – a majority – to gain the speakership. He received 199 and that’s two fewer than the initial vote.

After the votes were counted Tuesday, the Zeeland Republican spoke with reporters on C-SPAN.

Huizenga addressed the idea of empowering speaker pro tempore, Patrick McHenry.

“I don’t think that that would be a direction necessarily that we would go. We probably might have to do something very limited, very temporary if there is really, truly an impasse. Otherwise, we’ve got a duty and a responsibility to keep moving ahead.”

Huizenga explained that if House Republicans believe McHenry should be empowered, it would be best for them to nominate him.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.