- Jordan defeated Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), who was the second-ranking House Republican since 2014, in the conference-wide secret ballot for minority leader.
- Scalise trailed Jordan by 33 votes.
- Jordan’s victory signals House Republicans’ appetite for a more confrontational approach as they prepare to enter the minority.
State of affairs: Jordan and Scalise entered Tuesday’s election in a tight race, with both camps expressing confidence in their chances of winning.
- Jordan benefited from public support from some of the conference’s most conservative members, who said Republicans needed a change in leadership after their devastating midterm defeats.
- Scalise relied on his long-standing relationships within the conference and his decade of leadership experience.
The big picture: Jordan’s rise represents a remarkable turnaround for a conservative agitator who spent much of his career challenging the Republican establishment before becoming one of President Trump’s most vocal allies.
- He will be tasked with uniting a fractured Republican conference and leading the party’s efforts to reclaim the House majority in 2028.
Zoom out: Beyond the top job, current whip Tom Emmer (Minn.) fended off a challenge from Rep. August Pfluger (Texas) to remain as minority whip.
- Conference President: Lisa McClain (Mich.) won a three-way race with Reps. Erin Houchin (Ind.) and Greg Steube (Fla.).
- NRC President: Brian Jack (Georgia) defeated Rudy Yakym (Ind.) to lead the campaign arm of House Republicans. Current NRC President Richard Hudson (NC) lost his own re-election bid last week.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional voting results.
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