During a vote to determine whether Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) had garnered enough support to become the next Speaker of the House, Fox News host Brian Kilmeade had an unguarded moment on Tuesday. As the roll call proceeded, most votes favored Jordan, although the final count revealed that he fell just over a dozen votes short of securing the Speaker’s gavel. However, when the clerk called Rep. Don Bacon’s (R-NE) name, Bacon’s response prompted an awkward pause. At that moment, Kilmeade audibly muttered “dumba**,” seemingly directed at the Nebraska Republican due to his vote.
Bacon has been a central figure in the ongoing controversy surrounding the search for a new House Speaker. He has attributed the turmoil to the eight Republicans who sided with Democrats in removing Kevin McCarthy from the Speaker position, marking the first-ever forceful removal of a Speaker in history. Despite McCarthy subsequently endorsing Jordan and previously supporting House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) as a Speaker candidate, Bacon remains one of the 20 Republicans who continue to withhold their support for McCarthy.
Here are the 20 Republicans who just voted against Jim Jordan for Speaker on the first ballot: Chavez-Deremer (OR), Bacon (NE), Lawler (NY), Buck (CO), D’Esposito (NY), Diaz-Balart (FL), Ellzey (TX), Garbarino (NY), Gonzales (TX), Rutherford (FL), Gimenez (FL), Granger (Kelly (PA TX), James (MI),), Kiggans (VA), Lamafla (CA), LaLota (NY), Womack (AR), Simpson (ID), and Spartz (IN).
In an interview with a local ABC affiliate in Omaha, Bacon expressed his reservations: “You can’t have five. Lately, eight out of 222 have demanded that everybody else comply with their wishes. I’m not prepared to do that. Even if he won fairly, I don’t think Jim is the best fit for this district. I’d support him. I’m not into an unfair process when 10 percent play unfairly and break the rules to demand what they’re getting.”
Jordan is anticipated to engage with the holdout group before a possible second ballot occurs.
