Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) says his wife received multiple anonymous text messages that warned what would happen to his political career if he didn’t back Rep. Jim Jordan’s (R-Ohio) run for the House speaker role.
“Jim’s been nice, one-on-one, but his broader team has been playing hardball,” Bacon told Politico in a story published Tuesday.
In an exchange that Politico’s Olivia Beavers shared on X, formerly Twitter, the unidentified texter asked Bacon’s wife: “Why is your husband causing chaos by not supporting Jim Jordan? I thought he was a team player.”
Bacon’s wife replied: “Who is this???”
The texter said: “Your husband will not hold any political office ever again. What a disappoint (sic) and failure he is.”
Bacon’s wife fired back: “He has more courage than you. You won’t put your name to your statements.”
In another message, Bacon’s wife was urged: “Talk to your husband tell him to step up and be a leader and help the Republican Party get a speaker there’s too much going on in the world for all this going on in the Republican Party you guys take five steps forward and then turn around take 20 steps backwards no wonder our party always ends up getting screwed over.”
Bacon ended up voting for Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who was ousted from the position earlier this month, instead of Jordan on Tuesday.
Jordan, whose allies have reportedly engaged in other strong-arm tactics as part of his campaign, lost the first floor vote on Tuesday night.
“We’re going to keep going,” the Donald Trump-backed congressman vowed afterward. Another vote is expected Wednesday.