Jeffries dodges question on whether Jordan fit to be Speaker

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Sunday would not answer a question on whether he thought Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) is fit to be the next Speaker following the historic ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)

“Well, it’s not my job at this moment to weigh into the politics that have taken place in the House Republican Conference,” Jeffries said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union” when asked whether he thought Jordan would be fit to be Speaker. 

“Other than to make clear that it’s time for the GOP to end the Republican Civil War, in order for us to be able to come together in an enlightened and bipartisan way to get things done for everyday Americans,” he continued.

In the interview, Jeffries, the top Democrat in the House, made clear his caucus stood “ready, willing and able” to find bipartisan paths forward to tackle problems.

His comments also follow an historic vote last Tuesday, when McCarthy was ousted from his position. Eight Republicans joined with all Democrats to vote to remove him. 

The House recessed for the remainder of the week and will return Tuesday for a conference meeting to figure out who will emerge as the top candidate for the speakership. The position is currently vacant and Jordan, who is a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus has entered the race along with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), McCarthy’s longtime number two. 

“We have said from the very beginning of this Congress, as House Democrats, we are willing to find common ground with our Republican colleagues in a bipartisan way, whenever and wherever possible, and we’ve repeatedly demonstrated our willingness to do it,” Jeffries said, pointing to Democrats’ votes to avoid a government default on the nation’s debt and to support a continuing resolution to avoid a shutdown. 

“So we’re ready, willing and able to continue to find that bipartisan path forward, under the current moment that we’re in, or as we move forward, if the Republicans are able to elect a speaker,” Jeffries said.