Republicans nominate Donald Trump-backed firebrand Jim Jordan for House Speaker

Republicans nominated conservative hardliner Jim Jordan as their candidate for speaker of the US House of Representatives on Friday, as the lower chamber of Congress entered its 10th day of a leadership vacuum that has paralyzed Washington.

The party has been in disarray since right-wing rebels forced out Kevin McCarthy, leaving the Republican-controlled House unable to address mounting crises including a looming government shutdown and US ally Israel on a war footing.

Louisiana Representative Steve Scalise was initially seen as the best hope for a new standard-bearer who could heal the party’s bitter divides, and he beat Jordan to the nomination in a secret ballot earlier this week.