Rep. Jim Jordan (left) could find his district essentially eliminated in redistricting after he challenged fellow Ohioan Speaker John Boehner (center) on his debt limit proposal.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R) might pay the ultimate price for undercutting Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) efforts to pass a debt ceiling bill, according to a report Thursday in the Columbus Dispatch.
The cost? His safe Republican House seat.
The newspaper cited anonymous sources “deeply involved in configuring new Ohio congressional districts” who said that Jordan’s defiance puts his seat on the chopping block in 2012.
Ohio will lose two House seats next year, and Republicans in the Legislature will have to pick two districts to eliminate. Lawmakers will likely remove one Democratic seat from around Cleveland and one Republican seat from another part of the state.
The newspaper’s sources suggested that Jordan’s actions make his district an easy choice for removal. They described a map that would make Jordan’s district much more competitive by moving his home county into the same district as heavily black parts of Columbus.
Boehner released a statement late Thursday afternoon knocking down the report.
"Jim Jordan and I may not always agree on strategy, but we are friends and allies, and the word retribution is not in my vocabulary," the Speaker said. "I look forward to continuing to serve with him in the U.S. House after the redistricting process in Ohio is complete, and for many years to come.”
Jordan also released a statement after first posting the news story to his Facebook page, tweeting it and asking for feedback from supporters.
“We would hope that standing strong in favor of lower spending and balancing the federal budget would not be a reason to eliminate the district of a sitting member of Congress," Jordan said in his statement.
Lois Lerner, director of exempt organizations for the IRS, arrives for a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on the investigation of the IRS' targeting of political groups. Lerner invoked her Fifth Amendment right to not testify and caused a protest from some committee members when she offered an opening statement and engaged in dialogue with members before invoking the right.
Roll Call has launched a new feature, Hill Navigator, to advise congressional staffers and would-be staffers on how to manage workplace issues on Capitol Hill. Please send us your questions — anything from office etiquette, to handling awkward moments, to what happens when the work life gets too personal. Submissions will be treated anonymously.
