Watch: Katherine Clark trends after fiery speech excoriating speaker nominee Jim Jordan

Politics

“Their nominee’s vision is a direct attack on the freedom and the rights of the American people.”

Rep. Katherine Clark nominates Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., right, for House speaker during a third round of voting on Capitol Hill Oct. 20. Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

Democratic House Whip Katherine Clark, the U.S. representative for the 5th District in Massachusetts, was met with a standing ovation from her fellow Democrats after a fiery speech nominating minority leader Hakeem Jeffries for Speaker of the House Friday.

Her colleagues’ enthusiastic response was likely just as much for her criticisms of the Republican seeking the position, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, as it was for her praise of Jeffries. Clark called Jordan, who refused to certify the 2020 election, “a threat to democracy.”

“MAGA extremism is designed to divide, and it has broken the Republican Party,” Clark said. “Their nominee’s vision is a direct attack on the freedom and the rights of the American people.”

In her speech, Clark chided Jordan for voting against health care for children, veterans, and 9/11 survivors, opposing lowering the cost of insulin, wanting to cut Social Security and Medicare, and never supporting a farm bill.

Also, Clark said, “The Republican nominee wants a national abortion ban with no exceptions for rape, incest, or the health of the mother. We want to make our own health care decisions in consultation with our families, our doctors, our faith, not with Jim Jordan!”

That statement, along with her nomination of Jeffries, drew standing ovations from her House colleagues — and got the congresswoman trending on X (the former Twitter).

Jordan failed badly on a third ballot for the House speaker’s gavel Friday, rejected by even more Republicans from the conservative mainstream who warned the hard-edged ally of Donald Trump that no threats or promises could win their support.

In all, Jordan lost 25 Republican colleagues, leaving him far from the majority needed.

Watch clips of Clark’s nominating speech below:

Rep. Katherine Clark: “The American people expect us to work together on their behalf. It’s not to late for the majority to choose a bipartisan path forward to reopen the House.” pic.twitter.com/wAlSt1rd57

— Republican Accountability (@AccountableGOP) October 20, 2023

Katherine Clark with some 🔥: “MAGA extremism is designed to divide. And it has broken the Republican Party. Their nominee’s vision is a direct attack on the freedom and the rights of the American people, and he has the record to prove it.” pic.twitter.com/Y4HjiVKeXe

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 20, 2023

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.