Ohio Republican Jim Jordan wins closed-door vote to lead House GOP
The gist
Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan won a secret-ballot vote to become House GOP leader, defeating Steve Scalise.
He will lead Republicans as minority leader after Democrats took the House majority.
How it unfolded
- Nov 3, 2026Tuesday's midterm elections produced a "blue wave," with Democrats flipping more than 40 GOP seats to win back the majority; the Associated Press projected Jordan won reelection.
- Nov 4, 2026After the scope of Republican losses became clear, Speaker Mike Johnson said he would step down from leadership, and Jordan announced his third bid for his party's top post.
- Nov 9, 2026Jordan and Scalise whipped votes ahead of a contest both sides described as tight; the secret-ballot election was set for Tuesday afternoon, with the winner needing a simple majority of around 82 votes.
Key terms
- House GOP
- The Republican Party, one of the two major political parties in the United States.
- minority leader
- A U.S. senator chosen by their party caucus to serve as chief spokesperson and leader of the chamber's majority party.
- 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