House Republicans Elect Jim Jordan as Minority Leader

House Republicans elected Jim Jordan of Ohio as their minority leader for the next Congress, choosing the Judiciary Committee chairman over House Majority Leader Steve Scalise in a secret-ballot vote on Tuesday. Jordan will take the post when the new Congress convenes in January 2027, as Democrats prepare to control the chamber.

The vote tally was not consistently reported. Most accounts gave Jordan a 106-73 victory, while one report said he won 106-3. No official tally is included in the reporting, so the precise result remains unsettled. The outcome of the contest itself was consistent: Jordan defeated Scalise.

The election followed Republicans’ loss of the House majority in the midterm elections. Speaker Mike Johnson had decided not to seek the party’s leadership post in the next Congress, leaving Jordan and Scalise to compete for the role. The new minority leader will head the House Republican conference as it adjusts to being out of power.

Jordan, who has represented Ohio’s 4th Congressional District since 2007, previously led the House Freedom Caucus and is chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He also sought the speakership in 2023 after Kevin McCarthy was ousted, but did...