Republican Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio has been elected House minority leader, defeating House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana in a secret-ballot contest held on Tuesday.
Jordan, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, secured 106 votes against Scalise’s 73, according to two lawmakers who attended the closed-door election. Newsmax also confirmed the outcome on Tuesday afternoon.
His emergence comes a week after Democrats recorded significant victories in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, setting the stage for Republicans to become the minority party when the new Congress begins in January.
Jordan will lead a reduced Republican conference during the remaining two years of President Donald Trump’s current term, as Democrats prepare to use their congressional majority to scrutinise his administration.
He will take over as the leading Republican in the House from Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, who decided not to contest the minority leadership position following the party’s disappointing election performance.
Trump had earlier indicated that he would not interfere in the contest to determine the next Republican leader in the chamber.
During his campaign for the position, Jordan urged fellow Republicans to develop a coordinated strategy and adopt a more aggressive approach in responding to Democrats.
He highlighted his experience overseeing congressional investigations and described himself as “battle-tested,” arguing that his knowledge of Democratic political tactics would help the party navigate its new position in the House.
Scalise, however, had promised to make restoring Republican control of the House his major objective, insisting that he was ready to assume the responsibility immediately.
He also warned that Democrats would use their control of congressional committees to launch investigations into Trump, members of his family, Cabinet officials and political associates.
In a letter addressed to Republican lawmakers, Jordan acknowledged the scale of the party’s losses and described the election outcome as “a staggering day for our conference.”
He also called for a change in the party’s approach to political and legislative challenges.
“For too long, we have operated without a clear plan to survive the hour or the day in front of us,” Jordan wrote. “That will not cut it against an emboldened and energetic Democrat majority.”
The 62-year-old lawmaker entered Congress in January 2007 after winning his first election in 2006. Before his election to the US House of Representatives, he served in both chambers of the Ohio Legislature.
Jordan has chaired the House Judiciary Committee since 2023 and previously helped establish the conservative House Freedom Caucus, serving as its first chairman.
He gained national attention through his participation in several contentious congressional hearings and his strong political support for Trump.
His election as minority leader also marks another significant development following his unsuccessful attempt to become House speaker in 2023.
At the time, Jordan challenged for the position after Republicans removed Kevin McCarthy as speaker. Scalise initially defeated him in the Republican nomination contest but later withdrew after failing to secure sufficient support for a successful vote on the House floor.
Jordan subsequently became the party’s nominee but was also unable to obtain the required votes, leading Republicans to eventually elect Johnson.
Before beginning his political career, Jordan was a successful collegiate wrestler, winning two NCAA championships while studying at the University of Wisconsin. He later worked as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University.
He holds degrees in economics and education, as well as a law degree from Capital University.
As the new Republican leader in the House, Jordan’s immediate responsibilities will include bringing together members of his party, coordinating their response to Democratic investigations and developing a strategy to regain control of the chamber in the 2028 elections.
