Michigan GOP Rep. Jack Bergman ready to 'step up' and serve as House speaker after Jordan loses twice

A Republican congressman from Michigan is prepared to "step up" and serve as U.S. House speaker to help lead the party out of the chaos both it and the nation currently face, his spokesman said Wednesday.

Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich., has been approached by colleagues and had conversations about making a bid for speaker, and would be willing to serve in that role to finish out the current congressional term, but not beyond that, Bergman spokesman James Hogge said in an email to the Detriot Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Hogge made the comments after Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, lost the House speaker election Wednesday for a second time.

"It’s becoming clear Rep. Jordan’s path is narrowing by the hour," Hogge said.

“We cannot go another day without a Speaker. He simply doesn’t have the votes — we need to have a frank discussion as a conference about a path forward. If as a conference we see he can’t get the necessary votes to become Speaker, General Bergman is prepared to step up."

Like the rest of Michigan's GOP congressional delegation, Bergman has endorsed Trump for president in 2024.

Along with Republican Reps. Lisa McClain and Tim Walberg, Bergman was one of three members of Michigan's congressional delegation who voted unsuccessfully to reject the Arizona and Pennsylvania results from the 2020 presidential election.

Bergman supported Jordan in the first two votes.

"We need a leader to step up to unite the Republican conference, actually pass critical legislation, and move our nation forward," Bergman said Monday on the social media platform X.

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"Jim Jordan has committed to that, and will have my support on the House floor on Tuesday."

A third vote is scheduled for noon Thursday.

Earlier, Bergman supported former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and opposed McCarthy's ouster led by Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida.

In 2022, Bergman was elected to a fourth two-year term in Michigan's 1st congressional district, which is comprised of the Upper Peninsula and much of the northern Lower Peninsula. Bergman served in Vietnam and retired from the U.S. Marine Corps with the rank of lieutenant general.

Hogge said the nation is in turmoil but Congress "is in complete gridlock."

Bergman "served our nation for 40 years" in the Marines and "knows how to put others first to accomplish the task at hand," Hogge said. "America needs a leader right now. Rep. Jack Bergman is ready to answer the call of service, again.”

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @paulegan4.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: GOP Rep. Jack Bergman of Michigan eyes bid for House speaker