House Republicans elect Jim Jordan as leader
The gist
House Republicans elected Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan minority leader, defeating Steve Scalise 106-73 in a secret ballot.
The GOP now regroups in the minority after Democrats flipped at least 40 seats.
How it unfolded
- Oct 5, 2026Jordan, a 10-term lawmaker, had previously run against Kevin McCarthy for minority leader in 2018 and sought the speaker's gavel three times in 2023 without reaching 218 votes.
- Oct 15, 2026Many House Republicans believed Jordan was laying groundwork to run for the top leadership spot if they lost the chamber, according to half a dozen lawmakers and aides.
- Oct 27, 2026House Republicans were slated to hold leadership elections on Nov. 10, with a two-hour candidate forum that morning before voting.
Key terms
- minority leader
- A U.S. senator chosen by their party caucus to serve as chief spokesperson and leader of the chamber's majority party.
- secret ballot
- A voting method in which a voter's identity in an election or referendum is anonymous.
- House Freedom Caucus
- A congressional caucus of conservative Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives, considered the chamber's most conservative bloc.
Source: Wikipedia