Updated November 10, 2026 at 5:16 PM PST
House Republicans on Tuesday selected Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio to serve as the party's next minority leader.
In Jordan, 62, Republicans have chosen a veteran of both the House Oversight and House Judiciary committees — two panels poised to play a central role in the new Congress as Democrats plan for a long list of investigations into President Trump and his administration.
Jordan, a co-founder of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, won the vote over current House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. He will succeed Mike Johnson, R-La., as the top House Republican when the new Congress begins in January.
The election, conducted via secret ballot, offered rank-and-file Republicans a choice as to how they want to navigate life in the minority, as they look to regroup from a staggering defeat that saw Democrats flip more than 40 GOP seats.
A former college wrestling coach known for his pugilistic style, Jordan pitched an aggressive posture to his colleagues, writing that "offense, not defense, wins elections."
"For too long, we have operated without a clear plan to survive the hour or the day in front of us. That will not cut it against an emboldened and energetic Democratic party," Jordan said in a letter to colleagues last week, taking a swipe at the House leadership team led by Johnson and Scalise.
"I am battle-tested on the oversight front and I know the Democrats' playbook," he added.
The House Freedom Caucus celebrated Jordan's win, calling him a "fierce fighter."
"Jim is exactly the right man for the job to fight back against the radical, crazy agenda of Democrats," Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., said in a statement.
Jordan's pitch stood in contrast to what Scalise, 61, offered. Scalise has been the No. 2 House Republican since 2023, and has served in broader GOP leadership roles for more than 10 years. He's seen as more moderate than Jordan, and in a letter to colleagues announcing his candidacy, the close Trump ally said his approach to the job would be "conservative and consensus-driven."
"My number one goal as Republican Leader will be to win back the majority and I expect you to hold me accountable to that mission," Scalise wrote. "To succeed, we will need to be effective in both the oversight and legislative fights ahead, but we will also need to lay out a clear and optimistic vision for America."
The contest between Jordan and Scalise was a rematch from 2023. Back then, Jordan and Scalise were vying to succeed Kevin McCarthy. After multiple candidates failed to secure enough votes, Republicans ultimately voted for Johnson.
Speaking ahead of the vote, John Leganski, who was an aide to McCarthy, said the size of Democrats' victory last week will limit the next minority leader's leverage in the new Congress.
"I think whoever wins your job is to … number one, try to win back to the House," he said. "And number two, make life as difficult for the Democrats as possible, largely by voting no."
Continuity in the Senate
In the Senate, Republicans opted for continuity over change, electing Sen. John Thune of South Dakota to a second term as party leader.
Thune has faced criticism from Trump over the last two years for refusing to eliminate the Senate filibuster and failing to pass his long-sought election overhaul bill, the SAVE America Act.
Despite that, Thune enjoyed broad support inside the GOP caucus, and ran unopposed in Tuesday's election.
"I'm proud of what this Republican team has accomplished together, and we remain united in our commitment to advancing conservative priorities, working with President Trump and our colleagues in the House, and holding the line against Democrats' efforts to enact their far-left, liberal agenda," Thune said in a statement after the vote.
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