Tom Cole Nominates Jim Jordan for Second Speaker Ballot

Rep. Tom Cole (R., Okla.), a veteran House lawmaker, is kicking off the second day of the speaker election with a speech nominating Jordan for the post.

“We have a chance today to end that chaos and to end that uncertainty,” Cole said in a nod to some of the squabbling between the Jordan and Scalise camps and a bid to end the fierce GOP infighting. He said Jordan had a “spine of steel” that will be needed in the job. Democrats again scoffed when Cole mentioned Jordan’s history as a college wrestler. Former wrestlers have said Jordan was aware of, but didn’t respond to, allegations of sexual misconduct by an Ohio State University team doctor when the lawmaker was an assistant wrestling coach there in the 1990s. Jordan has said he was not aware of any misconduct at the time.