Jordan urges supporters to back Scalise for speaker as House goes into recess

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is urging his supporters to back House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., for speaker, a source with direct knowledge told Fox News Digital.

Republicans chose Scalise as their candidate over Jordan earlier Wednesday. The vote was by secret ballot. Scalise won 113 votes, Jordan won 99.

A vote had been expected as early as Wednesday afternoon, but sources told Fox that the House will recess at 3pm and a vote is not currently planned for today. Some Republicans have said they will not vote for Scalise, including Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas.

Scalise was chosen by the GOP majority in the lower chamber as their nominee for House speaker, but the House is in recess after the nomination, a source confirmed to Fox News Digital.

Recessing does not necessarily mean the House will not hold a vote today — but staffers are not optimistic.

‘Zero chance it happens today,’ a senior House GOP aide predicted.

Republicans chose Scalise as their candidate over House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan. Scalise won 113 votes, Jordan won 99.

In the wake of the vote, though, Jordan is encouraging his supporters to throw their hats behind Scalise, Fox News Digital has learned.

A vote had been expected House-wide as early as 3pm Wednesday afternoon, but the timing is up to Scalise. Instead, the House will come in and immediately recess, Fox Digital is told. A vote could still happen Wednesday, but there are not plans as of yet to do so.

Some Republicans, including Reps. Chip Roy and Marjorie Taylor Greene have said they will not vote for Scalise.

The news comes as Republicans look to mint a new House speaker after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster last week.

McCarthy was ousted in a vote by eight members of his own party and all House Democrats last week. That moment marked the first time in history the U.S. House of Representatives voted to remove its own leader.

The contest to replace him quickly became a two-man race between Scalise and Jordan, R-Ohio.

However, Scalise — who has been McCarthy’s number two for many years despite their rivalry — came out of the contest on top.

Jordan, who is closer to McCarthy, nabbed early support from top conservatives in the GOP conference like House Freedom Caucus Policy Chair Chip Roy, R-Texas. 

Jordan is also a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus and served as the caucus’ first chairman.