OMAHA, Neb (KMTV) — After a second failed vote on Wednesday to name Jim Jordan as House Speaker Republicans are no closer to narrowing down who will lead the House Majority.
One of those Republicans still holding out is Nebraska's Congressman Don Bacon.
“What we saw was a very small minority vacate the speaker and defeated Scalise. You can’t have a minority of the majority run the house and that’s what’s going on. In principle I said I can’t do that,” said Bacon.
Bacon said his office has received numerous calls regarding his vote for speaker with most of those coming from outside of his district.
But some anonymous messages about his vote, sent to his wife Angie, have caused the Congressman concern.
“The campaign to push the speaker has gotten rough and tumble. Phone calls, threats to primaries. I get all that stuff, it’s alright. But, you start sending texts to my wife anonymously and calling her anonymously it’s wrong,” said Bacon.
One voicemail sent to Bacon’s wife Angie, which 3 News Now obtained a copy of —lamented Bacon's lack of support for Jordan.
"Please talk sense into your husband, he is destroying the Republican Party. Please, the world needs a united Republican Party. Every time they take five steps forwards they end up taking twenty steps backwards. Please…talk sense into his head please…"
Bacon isn’t just sharing his frustration with the media, he is calling on Jordan to condemn that behavior from supporters.
"You have things like this go on it's not right, you need to put light on it. Mr Jordan needs to make clear that this behavior is wrong and there has been a bullying campaign," said Bacon.
Bacon believes the campaign for speaker has damaged the Republican Party.
He said the wounds will take time to heal, but he isn't giving up on finding common ground among the party.
“It's gonna take a while to heal. Take an election to heal from it. Hopefully we get a bigger majority where four people can’t hold us hostage. I think it’s gonna take a while to come together and a special leader that says we need to focus forward and not behind,” said Bacon.
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