House Republicans Push Back Against Aggressive Campaign by Rep. Jim Jordan’s Supporters

House Republicans are pushing back against an outside pressure campaign by conservative media and supporters of Rep. Jim Jordan’s speaker bid. The campaign has included anonymous and vaguely threatening text messages sent to the spouse of Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), as well as cussing out of staffers and robocalls to voters.

Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., said his staffers have been “cussed out” in phone calls from Jordan supporters. Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., said he was so upset with pro-Jordan robocalls to voters in his South Florida district that he personally told Jordan to call off the attack. Rep. Bacon’s wife even said she’s received death threats.

Jordan has now failed twice to get the votes needed to become speaker, and the outside pressure on his opponents appears to be backfiring. Rep. Bacon spoke out Tuesday night after his wife received the anonymous text messages, saying that the congressman had better vote for Jordan.

“I spent 30 years in the Air Force, four deployments,” Rep. Bacon said. “I’m not going to be intimidated by some anonymous person who sends a text message to my wife.”

The aggressive campaign by Rep. Jordan’s supporters has sparked backlash from Republican holdouts, making it harder for him to become the next House speaker. It remains unclear if Jordan will be able to garner enough support to become the next House speaker.