House Leadership: Jim Jordan Defeats Scalise to Lead GOP Minority
The Ohio representative secured the top post for the new Republican conference in a 106-73 secret ballot vote.
By Andrew Yang ·
Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio claimed the position of House minority leader on Tuesday, defeating Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana in a contest for control of the party's new direction. The election took place among Republicans who will serve in the next Congress, marking a shift in leadership for the group now in the minority.
Jordan won the secret ballot vote with 106 votes to Scalise's 73. As a candidate, Jordan presented himself as the choice for those seeking a hard-hitting approach to the upcoming term. He is a co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus, an ultraconservative group, and previously served as its first chairman.
The winner is 62 years old and currently chairs the House Judiciary Committee. His platform focused on his experience in committee rooms and his readiness for oversight battles. He warned that Democrats would launch numerous investigations into the Trump administration during President Donald Trump's final two years in office.
"Our job cannot be merely to spotlight how radical this new Democratic Party is, offense, not defense, wins elections," Jordan said. He emphasized his track record in committee hearings, stating, "I am battle-tested on the oversight front, and I know the Democrats' playbook."
Scalise, 61, pitched his extensive history in party leadership, having served as whip and majority leader since 2014. He noted that he raised $67.9 million for the midterm elections, with roughly one-third of that amount directed to individual House campaigns and the National Republican Congressional Committee. Scalise also referenced his resilience, saying, "Overcoming adversity is nothing new to me."
The two rivals had previously competed for the speakership after Kevin McCarthy was ousted more than three years ago. Neither candidate secured the support needed to become speaker at that time, a role that went to Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana. Johnson is stepping aside from leadership for the new Congress. Scalise survived a shooting during a charity baseball game in 2017 and was treated for multiple myeloma in 2023.
The Republican conference is beginning to grapple with its loss of power, inheriting a historically small caucus. The group faces the challenge of leading the party back to a majority in 2028. President Trump said he was staying out of the race.
Voting for the No. 2 position and conference chair is scheduled for later this week. Reps. Tom Emmer of Minnesota and August Pfluger of Texas are vying for the whip role. Three candidates are seeking the conference chair post: Reps. Lisa McClain of Michigan, Erin Houchin of Indiana, and Greg Steube of Florida. Democrats are expected to hold their own leadership elections next week.
