House Republicans elected Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio as minority leader for the next Congress on Tuesday, defeating outgoing Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana by 106 votes to 73 in a closed-door vote in the Capitol Visitor Center. The result follows last week’s midterm defeat and Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to step aside from leadership at the end of the term, and it closes a contest in which many Republican lawmakers blamed the outgoing leadership team for the loss. Jordan, a 20-year House veteran who co-founded the House Freedom Caucus and chairs the Judiciary Committee, will lead the conference against the incoming Democratic majority when the 120th Congress convenes on January 3, 2027.
House Republicans elect Jim Jordan minority leader
House Republicans elected Jim Jordan of Ohio as their minority leader for the next Congress on Tuesday, choosing him over Steve Scalise by 106 votes to 73 in a closed-door conference vote.
Why it matters: The vote completes the post-midterm leadership reset that began with Mike Johnson stepping aside, and puts a Freedom Caucus co-founder in charge of the Republican opposition to the incoming Democratic majority.
Data as of Conference vote held November 10, 2026, reported the same day by The Hill and Axios; Jordan leads the conference in the 120th Congress, which convenes January 3, 2027.
Sources
- Jim Jordan elected minority leader by House GOP - The Hill - 2026-11-10
- Jim Jordan wins House GOP minority leader race - Axios - 2026-11-10