Jim Jordan, a hard-right Ohio Republican, failed again to gain enough support from his party to become speaker. The House remains leaderless after two weeks of Republican infighting.
Rep. Tom Cole praised former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson while talking about the border crisis during his nomination of Jordan for House speaker.
The House reading clerk, who became somewhat of an internet celebrity after presiding over the last big speaker drama, is known as “mother” by some on the internet.
Mr. Jordan, the combative ally of former President Donald J. Trump, fell 17 votes short of the majority he would have needed to prevail, despite a right-wing pressure campaign to win over Republican critics.