Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio elected to lead House Republicans in the minority

WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio won the race Tuesday to serve as House Republican leader, defeating Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana as the GOP prepares for its new role in the minority.

Jordan, who serves as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, won 106-73 in a secret ballot election of Republicans who will serve in the next Congress.

The election comes after Republicans suffered a significant defeat at the polls, leaving the party with a historically small House conference and facing the challenge of rebuilding its majority. The winner of the leadership race will be tasked with leading Republicans through the final two years of President Donald Trump's term and working toward regaining control of the House in 2028.

Jordan, 62, is a co-founder of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus and served as its first chairman. His candidacy appealed to lawmakers looking for new leadership after the election losses and those who favor his hard-hitting political style.

Jordan warned colleagues of the coming Democratic efforts to investigate the Trump administration, saying Republicans must be prepared to respond.

"I am battle-tested on the oversight front and I know the Democrats' playbook," Jordan said.

Scalise, 61, has held key GOP leadership positions since 2014, serving as party whip and then as majority leader. In 2017, he was critically wounded when a gunman opened fire at a baseball practice where several Republican lawmakers and staff members were preparing for an annual charity baseball game against Democrats. In 2023, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that was successfully treated.

"Overcoming adversity is nothing new to me," Scalise said in his pitch to colleagues.

The two lawmakers have faced off before, both seeking to become the Republican nominee for House speaker after Kevin McCarthy was ousted from the position a little more than three years ago. Neither initially secured enough support, and the job eventually went to Mike Johnson, who is stepping aside from the leadership in the new Congress.

Scalise edged Jordan in head-to-head voting to become the Republican speaker nominee in 2023 but withdrew when he could not secure the support needed to win a majority on the House floor. Some conservative members declined to back him after then-former President Donald Trump endorsed Jordan.

Jordan then became the nominee, but other Republicans opposed the hardball tactics used to oust McCarthy and Scalise. After multiple rounds of unsuccessful votes, the conference eventually turned to Johnson, who had not been involved in the leadership fight.

In his pitch to colleagues this time, Scalise emphasized that he was ready to lead on Day One of the next Congress. He cited his work helping deliver legislative wins, including Trump's tax and spending cut bill, and highlighted his fundraising efforts.

Scalise said he raised $67.9 million for this year's midterms, with about a third going directly to individual House campaigns and the National Republican Congressional Committee. He said his grassroots fundraising operation is the most prolific among House Republicans.

"In competitive districts, every dollar counts and those resources are critical to winning back the majority," Scalise said.

Republicans were divided over which candidate would be better suited to lead the party.

Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland said he supported Jordan, citing the need for new leadership and strong communication.

"I think you need to change the team and I think you need an excellent communicator, and he fits both those bills," Harris said.

Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania said he believed Scalise was better suited for the job.

"I like people who do legislation and appropriations. I think that's important," Kelly said. "I know other people have maybe had more time on Fox, but I like guys that work more on facts."

Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas described the race as "really, really close," noting that some lawmakers wanted a fresh start while others believed Scalise could help the party regain its footing.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he was close to both candidates and would not try to influence the outcome.

"I want the body, I want the members to make those decisions themselves," Johnson said. "I'm not weighing in here on the leadership elections."

Republicans also are choosing leaders for other positions. Reps. Tom Emmer of Minnesota and August Pfluger of Texas are vying to serve as Republican whip, the No. 2 position in the leadership hierarchy. Reps. Lisa McClain of Michigan, Erin Houchin of Indiana and Greg Steube of Florida are seeking to become conference chair.

Democrats will hold their leadership elections next week. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York is expected to become the next House speaker, while Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts is expected to become majority leader. Clark would be the first woman to hold that position.

Contributing: Joey Cappelletti

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