Next Speaker of the House?

Jim Jordan staked a claim in Massachusetts.

Money talks! One of the primary jobs of The Speaker of the House is raising big bucks for their political party. The ability to draw interest from major donors, right down to the people who donate $20 is critical. One must have the talent to attract people from all walks of life and from both red and even the deepest of blue states.

Case in point. Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, the Republican firebrand, recently had a chance to demonstrate his ability to connect and draw thousands of supporters, while raising nearly $300,000, last May in Massachusetts. Yes, Massachusetts, the home of some of the most extreme radical progressive Democrats in the country. Home of Senator Liz Warren, Climate Czar John Kerry, and Squad member Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, to name a few.

Why would Jim Jordan decide to go to Massachusetts? Why would he think there was any support for a conservative Republican in a State led by Democrat socialists? Enter Rick Green. Rick Green is the founder and CEO of the online auto parts giant, 1A Auto, and a former candidate for Congress from Massachusetts. Green has brought well known Republicans into Massachusetts for years, but no one drew the attention from Massachusetts Republicans, as much as Congressman Jim Jordan.

So, I asked Rick Green in an interview why he supports Jim Jordan as the next Speaker of the House.

Green: “My life’s work is to revive the Republican Party in Massachusetts. That’s how I met Jim Jordan. When I told him I thought there were competitive House seats in New England, he listened. When I invited him to see firsthand, he said, “Let’s do it.”  I’m certain he received tremendous pressure not to come to Massachusetts, but he gave me his word and he never wavered.

I know Jim will make a phenomenal Speaker of the House. He’s an incredible fundraiser with widespread appeal. During his visit to deep blue Massachusetts (which hasn’t elected a Republican to the House in almost 30 years), we held multiple events and raised almost $300k, while adding more than 1000+ new donors. At one event, a crowd of 900 people huddled in the pouring rain for an hour waiting to hear him speak! Every embattled Republican member of Congress needs to invite Jim to their district.

Getting to know Jim, I quickly saw that he has a deep understanding and respect not only for the traditions of the House, but also the process of lawmaking. He’s constantly talking about how to build, grow, and maintain coalitions. Oh yes, and most importantly…  how to win.

Jim will do more than just protect his members.  He’ll grow the majority and compete in new districts; dare I say, perhaps even 1 or 2 in Massachusetts.  I’ll even be so bold as to make a prediction. If the Republican caucus shows the wisdom to elect Jim Jordan, they’ll find themselves rewarded with one of the most significant Speakerships in the history of our great nation.”

As the author of this column and having personally attended two of the events for Jim Jordan, while he was in Massachusetts; I can say Jim Jordan is the real deal. I’ve been to many political functions and rallies through the years. Other than Donald Trump, I have not experienced the amount of enthusiasm from crowds that I saw for Congressman Jordan.

Rick Green is right. If Jim Jordan can motivate 900 people to spend money and stand for hours in a torrential downpour to see him, then he can motivate people to run for office. He can motivate people from across the United States to join the Republican party. A Speaker Jordan could be an historic gamechanger and a positive influence for years to come.

Let’s hope the folks in Congress, selecting the next Speaker of the House will see what many of us here in Massachusetts (including, retired New England Patriot and fellow Ohioan, Matt Light) saw… a bright future for Republicans and an even brighter future for the United States of America.