Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is set to take the reins of the House GOP in the next Congress, and his fellow Republicans are quickly rallying to tout him as the best person for the job.
The current House Judiciary Committee chairman has enjoyed a high profile in the media for years, long known as a bomb-thrower ever since he helped found the conservative House Freedom Caucus in 2015.
Because a House minority leader’s primary job is to lead counter-messaging against the majority’s agenda, Republican lawmakers are arguing Jordan is in a prime position to be throwing bombs at the other side — potentially weakening the Democratic majority’s own argument to keep the House in 2028.
“Right now, our goal is to stop bad ideas. And I think Jim will do a great job of articulating just how wild some of these ideas are,” Rep. Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital.
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Haridopolos is a longtime ally of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., who notably lost this week’s internal House GOP leadership election to Jordan by a 106 to 73 margin, sources told Fox News Digital.
But even Scalise’s supporters have quickly rallied behind Jordan since Tuesday’s race.
“Republicans took a hard hit last week, but now it’s time to come together and get back to work. I’m ready to help Jim and our team speak to every voter we need to win the majority back in 2028,” Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, who told Fox News Digital he would vote for Scalise, posted on X after the election of Jordan.
Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis., a Jordan ally, noted the incoming minority leader has had experience sparring with Democrats on the Oversight and Judiciary committees, which will likely play a prime role in investigating — and potentially impeaching — members of the Trump administration.
“That’s going to wear thin in a hurry,” Fitzgerald said of Democrats’ plans. “[Jordan] understands it, because we’ve been on the other side of it.”
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In his six years as head Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, Jordan has cemented his reputation as a capable bulldog for President Donald Trump and the GOP. He’s known for asking sharp, pointed questions of Democrat-leaning witnesses and spearheading investigations into justice officials who Republicans accuse of blocking Trump’s agenda.
“He definitely brings that athletic mentality to committee hearings. What you’re gonna see in press conferences, you’ll see it on the floor,” said Russell Dye, a longtime former aide to Jordan.
“You’re gonna have a guy that’s not just gonna lay down, he’s going to get out there, attack, attack, attack, and do it in a way though, that normal Americans understand.”
“He’s a fighter,” Dye said.
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House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., who will be going into the next Congress as Jordan’s No. 2, compared him to the “Energizer bunny” and praised him as a “decision-maker.”
And the Ohio Republican himself signaled that he sees his role as directing the voice of the opposition against a likely barrage of Democratic probes.
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Jordan told “Hannity” on Wednesday night that Republicans would heavily focus their pushback during committee meetings, where those investigations and impeachment efforts traditionally start.
“[Democrats are] just attacking their political opposition, but it’ll be across the board in every single committee,” Jordan said. “And we are committed, as House Republicans, to pushing back and giving the facts and the truth to the American people.”
But House Freedom Caucus Chairman Jordan and Minority Leader Jordan will be very different people, Republicans around him have said.
The Ohio Republican has traded his days of publicly criticizing fellow GOP lawmakers in for public calls for unity, something sources said he stressed in his argument to win the leadership role last week.
“He’s evolved. He’s been a mouthpiece for the party,” Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., said. “He’s intelligent. … He’s the right messenger for the right time, and he’s been setting himself up for this for decades.”
But it remains to be seen if that pragmatism will extend to deal-making with Democrats.
“I think so,” said Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., when asked if Jordan would be a good negotiator with the other party. “He’s got the president on his side.”