Jim Jordan takes House GOP leadership in landslide vote
The Ohio representative defeated Steve Scalise 106 to 3 to lead Republicans as they prepare for a potential loss of the majority in January 2027.
By Isaac Medina ·
House Republicans handed the leadership gavel to Jim Jordan on a vote that left little room for dissent. In a secret ballot held to select the party’s next leader for the 120th Congress, Jordan defeated Representative Steve Scalise 106 to 3. The result signals a shift in power within the party as it braces for a possible minority status in the coming session.
Jordan has represented Ohio’s 4th Congressional District since 2007. His political education spans three institutions: a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1986, a master’s degree from Ohio State University in 1991, and a law degree from Capital University in 2001. For the past six years, he served as the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, where he frequently clashed with Democrats who are expected to lead accountability efforts against the president.
This is not Jordan’s first bid for the top of the House. In October 2023, he ran for speaker after a rebellion by House Republicans removed Kevin McCarthy of California from the role. At that time, Jordan failed to secure the chamber-wide majority required to win the gavel. That loss paved the way for Mike Johnson of Louisiana, who had only entered Congress in 2017, to take over following three weeks of legislative paralysis.
Johnson spent recent months campaigning across the country to support GOP candidates and retain his position. Those efforts were aimed at preventing the losses that ultimately cost him the leadership post. The party suffered defeats in both battleground districts and seats previously considered solid Republican holdings. Johnson’s tenure began in the chaos of 2023 and ended with a vote that confirmed his colleagues preferred a more established figure to lead the party into the new Congress.
The 120th Congress will be sworn in at noon on January 3, 2027. Jordan will assume the role of leader for the final two years of the current presidential term. His primary task will be to guide the party through a period where Democrats are expected to take the lead on oversight and accountability measures. The margin of victory suggests the party is unified behind Jordan for the time being.
