Jerry Carl picks a candidate in House Speaker contest: ‘We’ve got to unite’

Jerry Carl picks a candidate in House Speaker contest: ‘We’ve got to unite’

Alabama Rep. Jerry Carl, AL-1, said Sunday that he supports Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan’s bid for Speaker of the House.

Jordan (R-Ohio) won a secret ballot among Republicans last week that made him the leading contender for the position, but he didn’t appear to have all of the 217 votes needed to secure the position.

Carl said he voted for Jordan in the conference, “and I will be supporting him this week when the vote comes to the House Floor. We’ve got to unite behind a conservative Speaker who can unite us and move this country forward.”

The decision puts Carl at odds with several Republicans — including an Alabamian — who are angry about the recent ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy from the leadership position.

U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, AL-3, said, “there was nothing that Jordan could do to get his support as Speaker of the House,” as reported in the Anniston Star.

Alabama’s six Republican representatives initially voted to keep McCarthy on as speaker, but now, several others have stated support for Jordan, a hardliner who founded the House Freedom Caucus.

Barry Moore, AL-2, has also publicly stated support for Jordan, as has Gary Palmer, AL-6.

The Republicans have a thin majority in the House, so five GOP detractors can block Jordan in a House vote.