U.S. Republicans Select Minority Leaders for Both Houses of Congress

Republican members of the U.S. Congress selected Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio as House minority leader on November 10, while Senator John Thune of South Dakota was reelected Senate Republican leader. Both are scheduled to formally take up their roles on January 3, 2027. After losing control of both chambers of Congress in the November 3 midterm elections, Republicans are debating responsibility for the defeat, the party’s political direction and its relationship with President Donald Trump.

The U.S. Capitol in Washington.（VietVance）

In the House Republican vote, Jordan defeated Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana by 106 votes to 73. House Speaker Mike Johnson had previously said he would not serve as Republican leader in the new Congress. Jordan currently chairs the House Judiciary Committee, is a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus and has publicly supported Trump.

In a letter seeking support from fellow Republicans, Jordan said the party needed to prepare for possible Democratic investigations into the Trump administration after Democrats take control of the House. He argued that his experience with congressional investigations would help Republicans respond to Democratic strategies and urged the party to pursue political initiatives proactively.

In the Senate, some Republican lawmakers had called for the leadership election to be postponed so the party could first assess the reasons for its defeat and the leadership’s responsibility. After several hours of discussion, however, senators voted as planned, and Thune was reelected without opposition. Internal debate continues over Congress’s performance, the administration’s agenda, living costs and the impact of the war in Iran.

Source: VietVance