Jim Jordan Wins House Republican Leadership Vote 106-73

Following a historic midterm defeat, House Republicans elected Ohio Republican Jim Jordan as their next minority leader on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.

Meeting behind closed doors in Washington, Republican lawmakers chose the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee over House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana by a 106-73 vote in a secret ballot, two Republican lawmakers reported, according to Nbcnews. The contest followed an election cycle that saw Democrats flip more than 40 GOP seats, reducing the Republican conference and prompting outgoing Speaker Mike Johnson to step down from leadership.

The midterm blowout left the party with a historically small House conference and set the stage for a dramatic transition into minority status for the 120th Congress. The election offered rank-and-file Republicans a clear choice on how they intend to navigate life in the minority following a staggering defeat where Democrats secured the largest majority in 35 years.

Jim Jordan pitched an aggressive posture to his colleagues during the campaign, arguing that conservative forces needed to alter their tactical approach against an energized Democratic party.

For too long, we have operated without a clear plan to survive the hour or the day in front of us.

Jim Jordan, R-Ohio

Steve Scalise had campaigned on his decade of experience in top GOP leadership positions. Scalise pitched his approach as conservative and consensus-driven, telling colleagues his primary objective was winning back the majority, as reported by NPR.

Scalise has served in leadership since 2014 when he was majority whip, and previously survived a gunshot injury during a 2017 practice for the congressional baseball game as well as a successful battle against multiple myeloma, a blood cancer diagnosed in 2023.

Meanwhile, Jim Jordan traveled to 115 districts across 34 states to support GOP candidates this cycle, raising more than $4.5 million for campaigns, a source familiar with his efforts told MS NOW. Mike Johnson told reporters that Republicans selected Jordan specifically for his combative qualities, stating that they were ready to dig in for a fight, according to HuffPost.

Jordan, 62, built his reputation as a political brawler, a former college wrestling champion, and a co-founder and first chairman of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus who has represented Ohio in Congress since 2007. Former speaker John Boehner famously once branded him a legislative terrorist for his uncompromising tactics.

As minority leader, Jim Jordan will lead a reduced conference through the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term while confronting an anticipated wave of Democratic oversight investigations. Having spent two decades in Congress as a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, Jordan emphasized his readiness for the upcoming battles in Washington.

I am battle-tested on the oversight front and I know the Democrats’ playbook,

Jim Jordan, R-Ohio

Republicans will remain in control of the lame-duck Congress through the end of 2026, while the new Congress with its Democratic majority in both chambers convenes in January. Additional internal elections within the House Republican conference saw Utah Representative Blake Moore reelected as vice chair, while Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota defended his position as the party’s top vote-slinger.