Ohio's Jim Jordan Elected House Minority Leader

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio won the election on Tuesday to serve as House Republican leader. He defeated Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana in a secret ballot vote of 106 to 73 among Republicans serving in the next Congress. Jordan, who is 62, currently chairs the House Judiciary Committee.

The result places Jordan at the helm of a historically small House Republican conference. The party is adjusting to its new status in the minority after Democrats secured sweeping gains in the midterm elections held last week. Jordan must now guide the party through the remainder of President Donald Trump's term and plan for a return to the House majority in 2028.

Jordan is a co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus and served as its first chairman. His victory reflects a preference among some members for his hard-hitting political style. He warned that the incoming Democratic majority will likely launch numerous investigations into the Trump administration. Jordan stated that the party’s focus must remain on offense rather than defense to win future elections.

Trump said he was staying out of the race. Scalise, 61, has held senior GOP leadership roles since 2014, including party whip and majority leader. He was critically wounded in a 2017 shooting at a baseball practice and diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2023. Scalise cited his fundraising ability in his bid, noting he raised $67.9 million for this year's midterms. About a third of that amount went directly to individual House campaigns and the National Republican Congressional Committee.

The two candidates faced each other previously when both sought the House speaker position after Kevin McCarthy was ousted. That contest eventually resulted in Mike Johnson taking the role. Johnson is stepping aside from leadership in the new Congress. Scalise argued that overcoming adversity was not new to him, while Jordan emphasized his experience in oversight hearings.

Republicans are also selecting other leaders. Reps. Tom Emmer of Minnesota and August Pfluger of Texas are running for Republican whip. Three candidates, Reps. Lisa McClain of Michigan, Erin Houchin of Indiana, and Greg Steube of Florida, are seeking the conference chair position. Democrats will hold their leadership elections next week.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York is expected to become the next House speaker. He would be the first African-American to hold the job. Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts is expected to become the next majority leader, a position that has never been held by a woman.