Rep. Pete Stauber breaks from GOP, votes against Republican speaker nominee Jim Jordan

WASHINGTON - Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber voted against the GOP's latest House Speaker nominee on Wednesday as tumult continues to freeze the party.

Stauber, who waved off a question from the Star Tribune about his vote shortly afterward, was among 22 Republican who broke from the party and opposed far-right Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan.

In an emailed statement Wednesday afternoon, Stauber said "the American people deserve a working Congress, and we need a Speaker in order to get back to work."

"I respect Jim Jordan and the important work he has done on the Judiciary Committee," Stauber's statement said. "However, after the first vote yesterday, it became clear that he cannot unite our Conference."

The Minnesotan's vote was a turnaround from Tuesday, when Stauber joined Minnesota's three other congressional Republicans in supporting Jordan on the first ballot. Stauber's office was mum earlier this week about who he was supporting in the speaker's race.

Jordan failed to win the speakership Tuesday. Republicans decided to try again on Wednesday, and Stauber instead opted for Arkansas Rep. Bruce Westerman. Jordan won 199 GOP votes, but lost the speaker's race for a second round overall, and the path forward for House Republicans remained unclear. Minnesota's three other Republican members of Congress have backed Jordan on both rounds of voting.

A small group of Republicans went against most members of their party earlier this month in the historic drive to remove Kevin McCarthy from the speaker's role. The intraparty rebellion led to McCarthy being ousted from the post he long coveted, with enough Republicans siding against him while he won no support from Democrats. All four of Minnesota's congressional Republicans supported McCarthy.

Republicans have since been unable to find someone who can garner enough intraparty support to take over leading the chamber full-time.