Well, here’s a little hardball:
U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan’s open defiance of Speaker John Boehner’s efforts to solve the debt-ceiling crisis could cost the Urbana Republican his safe seat in next year’s election.
Two Republican sources deeply involved in configuring new Ohio congressional districts confirmed to The Dispatch today that Jordan’s disloyalty to Boehner has put him in jeopardy of being zeroed out of a district.
“Jim Jordan’s boneheadedness has kind of informed everybody’s thinking,” said one of the sources, both of whom spoke only on condition of anonymity. “The easiest option for everybody has presented itself.”
Jordan’s rural 11-county district, which has a 60 percent Republican voter index, “is easy to cannibalize because it stretches so far,” said the other source.
Jim Jordan is the head of the radical Paul Weyrich-inspired Republican Study Committee and one of his staffers got busted for sending out emails to conservative groups encouraging them to rally against the Speaker’s bill. Rep. Jordan apologized on his staffer’s behalf, but it looks like he may still pay a price for whipping against the leadership.
Eric Cantor is no Tom DeLay. Neither is Kevin McCarthy. But it looks like at least someone is willing to crack a skull or two to get this bill over to the Senate where it can die.
You’re misreading this – this is STATE politics in action. The Ohio GOP is very much about loyalty and this is a message from the Ohio GOP establishment to the tea party demagogues that if they don’t watch their step there are many options that the state party has to make their lives miserable.
It’s not like Boehner isn’t from Ohio.
That’s what I mean – it’s state party loyalty. Boehner is an establishment pol who is well liked by the state party. Jordan’s a tea party upstart who hasn’t yet made enough friends to cover his ass.
This is all state politics and nothing more. If Boehner were from Pennsylvania Jordan’s antics would rate a big “meh” from the state party. But he isn’t and Jordan’s openly showing disloyalty – and the start party is showing how that disloyalty will be repaid.
It’s just how politics works here in Ohio.
I think you’re making a distinction without a difference.
Actually, Jordan was first elected in 2006, before the Tea Party was a gleam in Rick Santelli’s and the Koch Brothers’ eyes. Otherwise, the analysis is accurate. The Ohio GOP has traditionally been about loyalty, team play, and waiting your turn in the trenches without undermining the leadership.
So, apply pressure and the tea baggers instantly loose all those patriot/founding father principles.
Breaking news from TPM
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2011/07/this_is_huge.php?ref=fpblg
This Is Huge
David Kurtz | July 28, 2011, 5:26PM
The House vote on Speaker Boehner’s plan scheduled for tonight has been postponed indefinitely. Read: He didn’t have the votes to pass it.
Late word from Cantor’s office is that they will still try for a vote this evening, possibly around 7 p.m. ET. But clearly they’re buying more time to whip up a few more votes to make sure they can pass it.
I’d really be surprised if anything happened to Jim Jordan. He chaired hearings this week calling EPA on the carpet for the alleged economic impact of their regulations. (See Steven D’s post today — the EPA regulations that he was writing about were the ones that were under attack at the hearing.) I’m sure Jordan has solid corporate backing, and that means he will be protected.
Also, the Republicans would be stupid to ditch Jordan. He’s a good politician, articulate and personable, one of the guys who actually speaks when he’s chairing a hearing instead of reading from a prepared text.