House Republicans’ election of Rep. Jim Jordan as minority leader shows they’re looking for a fighter to lead them back to the majority.
Jordan, an Ohio Republican who helped found the hardline Freedom Caucus, acted as a foil to his predecessors in House GOP leadership before rising up himself as a Judiciary Committee leader.
A close Trump ally, Jordan pitched himself as a counterweight to Democrats’ expected investigative onslaught; Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., came up short.
Jordan doesn’t have close relationships with Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries or the incoming class of Democratic leaders, but House Democrats won a large enough majority to bypass the House minority on key votes.
The push for change didn’t extend to all levels of leadership: The conference elected current Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., as minority whip and reelected Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., as conference chair.
— Nicholas Wu
