House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) is running to lead House Republicans after Tuesday’s Democratic sweep, Slay News reports, citing two sources familiar with his plans who told Fox News he is seeking the minority leader post in the next Congress.
Jordan’s path opened Wednesday when House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) told staff he would not seek the job, setting up a leadership shake-up as Republicans prepare to hand control of the chamber to Democrats.
The contest comes as Democrats prepare to take committee gavels, control the House calendar and gain subpoena power over the Trump administration. Jordan brings years of experience leading Republican investigations, along with close ties to President Donald Trump and strong grassroots conservative support. According to the report, Republican lawmakers had privately discussed him as a possible minority leader for weeks, with one calling him the “number one name” for the job. Jordan also campaigned for House Republican candidates across the party’s factions in August and October.
Unlike the speaker’s election, which requires a majority of the full House, the minority leader is chosen internally by the Republican conference. That matters for Jordan, whose 2023 speaker bid collapsed after he repeatedly fell short on the House floor following the removal of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). Several Republicans who opposed Jordan then have since left Congress or faced tough races in Tuesday’s election.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), who has served in GOP leadership since 2014 and is a major fundraiser, has also been viewed as a potential contender. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) has indicated he wants to remain whip regardless of which party controls the chamber, and Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger (R-TX) has been discussed privately as a possible leadership candidate.
Jordan’s Judiciary chairmanship will end when Democrats take control in January, which would put him at the forefront of the Republican response to the investigations Democrats have promised.
