Hannity endorses Jim Jordan for Speaker

Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday endorsed Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to be the next Speaker of the House on live television, as support for the conservative outsider builds following the retirement announcement of current Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). 

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), appearing on Hannity’s show on Tuesday night, said his colleague could properly oversee the Justice Department’s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and any possible coordination with the Trump campaign. 

“That’s why Jim Jordan should be Speaker of the House, then we’d have real oversight,” Gaetz said after his Ohio colleague decried the alleged use of an FBI informant to gather information from Trump campaign associates.

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“Checkmate — I’m not gonna argue,” said Hannity, a staunch Trump supporter. “For the record, I’m supporting Jim Jordan. I just endorsed him.”

Jordan, a founding member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, has yet to formally announce plans to run for Speaker. Earlier this week it was reported that dozens of influential conservative groups signed a letter urging him to declare a bid and demanding a change in GOP leadership.  

“The present House Republican leadership has proven that it’s part of ‘the Swamp,’ ” the letter said. “Consequently, a vote to promote any member of today’s House GOP leadership is a vote for the Swamp. It’s time to Clean House.”

Ryan and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) pushed back this week on reports that Republicans are seeking to make the Speaker give up his gavel sooner than January. Some conservatives reportedly want to have a new leader installed before the November midterms. 

“Obviously I serve at the pleasure of the members. Those are the people who drafted me in this job in the first place,” Ryan said Tuesday. “But I think we all agree the best thing for us is to complete our agenda and not wedge into the middle of the completion of our agenda divisive leadership elections.”