U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a far-right, anti-LGBTQ+ Republican, was nominated to be the next speaker of the House on Friday.
Jordan beat out Republican U.S. Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia in a 124-81 vote by Republican House members. It comes after U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy was ousted as speaker after working with Democrats to avoid a government shutdown.
It's still unclear, however, if the Ohio Republican can win the support of enough GOP members to be voted in as the speaker.
More than 50 Republicans are resisting Jordan's bid, according to CNN. That means there's more of a challenge to Jordan's nomination than what eventually stopped Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who had won the speaker nomination only to drop out of the race following opposition.
Jordan earned the support of former President Donald Trump. Trump endorsed Jordan for the speakership. The Ohio lawmaker has led the charge against President Joe Biden in the House's impeachment hearings.
Jordan’s anti-LGBTQ+ record is extensive, to say the least.
He voted against the Respect for Marriage Act last year.
Related: Marriage Equality Is Now Federal Law After President Biden Signs Act
Jordan also led the House’s debate against the Equality Act, which would protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination through federal law.
GLAAD notes that Jordan “entered into the record the statement the legislation from the Log Cabin Republicans, which called the bill ‘insidious’ and described the ‘extreme changes it will make [that] would irreparably harm America.”
He also introduced a bill in 2009 that would bar Washington, D.C., from recognizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere in the country after the city’s council voted to recognize marriage equality.
This story is developing...
