Jim Jordan stumbles in speaker election, Trump's legal storm rages

Some moderate Republicans temporarily found their spines

Rep. Jim Jordan lost the first round of today’s House speaker election as Republicans continue to fight among themselves. We’re seeing a full-blown battle between far-right members in ruby-red safe districts and those in more purple-ish districts who actually have to answer to voters, especially the “Biden 18” Republicans who will face tough reelection fights next year in districts where Joe Biden beat Donald Trump in 2020. Nevertheless, 12 of those Republicans backed Jordan, an extremist, on the first vote.

Rumors suggested there would be a second House vote, but it seems that Jordan failed to shore up support and that Republicans pulled the plug, planning to try again another day. If Jordan somehow prevails in future votes, Democrats already have a plan to go hard at these so-called moderates.

Democrats, on the other hand, were remarkably unified. Rep. Peter Aguilar drew a thunderous ovation for his speech nominating Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, for speaker. In the first round of voting today, every House Democrat backed Jeffries, and they continue to have zero regrets about not saving Republicans from themselves.

Donald Trump’s long day in court

Meanwhile, Donald Trump had another busy day in the courtroom. Outside his civil fraud trial in New York, he had a mini-meltdown to the press. It’s been an especially bad stretch for him, too. News also recently broke that he was scheduled to be questioned under oath regarding lawsuits from ex-FBI employees who sent negative texts about him. All these criminal and civil cases are adding up for Trump, and election experts are flabbergasted at how much donor money he is using to pay his legal bills.

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