Mike Johnson Declines House Minority Leader Bid After GOP Losses

House Republicans chose Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio as their minority leader for the next Congress, defeating Steve Scalise 106–73 in a secret ballot after the party’s midterm losses. Jordan, a House Freedom Caucus co-founder and close ally of Donald Trump, campaigned on his oversight experience and promised an aggressive response to Democrats’ expected investigations of the Trump administration. His victory over the more established Scalise signaled a preference for a combative, hardline approach. Tom Emmer was elected House minority whip, and Senate Republicans reelected John Thune as their leader after some members sought to delay the vote.