In recent meetings with House Republicans, Jordan, the right-wing firebrand from Ohio, has called for passing a stopgap bill to keep money flowing under existing law beyond April, according to a half-dozen lawmakers who heard his comments. The reason is that an across-the-board 1% cut, as tucked inside a recent debt-limit law, would then take effect, imposing reductions across agencies.

Jordan indicated to Republicans he believes the automatic cuts will give them leverage over Democrats on full-year funding bills as they work to pass individual appropriations bills. The reason, he believes, is that Democrats will want to switch off the automatic cuts as soon as possible and therefore accept more GOP demands.

[Er … wut? Jordan’s Freedom Caucus cut Kevin McCarthy’s nuts off by refusing to pass a shorter-term CR with 8% reductions in discretionary spending, which set the stage for the 45-day clean CR and the motion to vacate. NBC reports that the caucus has “mixed feelings” about Jordan’s proposal, and they should — it’s a worse deal with less leverage than McCarthy offered them. This can’t bode well for the Speaker election vote coming up next. — Ed]