House Republicans Elect Jim Jordan as Leader, 106-73 Over Steve Scalise, After Midterm Losses

House Republicans on Tuesday chose Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, as their leader in the next Congress, beating Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana 106 to 73 in a secret ballot. The vote came after Republicans lost more than 40 seats in the midterm elections. Democrats take control of both chambers on 3 January, and Hakeem Jeffries of New York is expected to become speaker. Jordan helped found the House Freedom Caucus in 2015 and defended President Trump during the first impeachment inquiry. He ran for speaker in 2023 but failed in three votes to win a majority, and Mike Johnson won the post. Republican Reps. Nicole Malliotakis, Ralph Norman and Mike Haridopolos called Jordan a fighter who can unite the party and challenge Democratic proposals, and Scalise's supporters have since backed him.

Fox News, the right-leaning outlet, leads with an interview with former Jordan aide Russell Dye and with Republicans rallying behind him. It presents his bomb-thrower reputation as an asset for counter-messaging against Democrats ahead of 2028. CBS News also uses the "fighter" quotes and the post-midterm losses, but adds Boehner's 2021 description of Jordan as a political terrorist. The Nation is sharply critical. It ties the vote to Trump's post-election moves and a House impeachment vote on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and says the Boehner label now counts as a credential. Both sides agree on the vote, Jordan's Freedom Caucus roots and his combative style, and they differ on whether that style is a strength. Defector, an alternative outlet, takes a different angle. It reports on his past ties to the Ohio State abuse scandal, in which a report found Dr. Richard Strauss abused at least 177 students. Jordan has denied knowing about it.