Axios reported Tuesday that Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio defeated Rep. Steve Scalise in the House Republican minority-leader contest, shaping the party’s leadership as Democrats take control of both chambers. The outlet did not provide a vote tally.
Democrats’ midterm victories gave them control of the House and Senate, according to CBS News, leaving Republicans to organize in the minority in both chambers for the next Congress.
Several Senate Republicans pressed to expand the leadership talks to cover the party’s election setback and its next steps. A morning session lasted about two hours before senators met again at 2 p.m. EST Tuesday. CBS News reported at 2:15 p.m. EST that senators expected a postponement vote, but its update did not give an outcome.
Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin led the push. The Associated Press reported that Johnson circulated a letter seeking a delay; Roll Call said four other senators signed it, bringing its signers to five. Roll Call reported that the letter proposed a conference discussion of the midterm result and the party’s direction.
Johnson characterized the meeting as “a very high-quality conversation” and said “people are voicing opinions on all sides of the issue,” CBS News reported. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he was listening to members before summing up their views.
Before the meeting, CBS News had described Thune as the likely choice for minority leader and said no rival had publicly declared a bid.
CBS News and the Associated Press had earlier reported that House Speaker Mike Johnson would not seek a Republican leadership post in the next Congress. That left Jordan and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise as contenders before the vote. EconoTimes previously covered the earlier Jordan-Scalise contest.
House Clerk guidance says party delegations select their leaders, while the full House elects the speaker. Rep. Nathaniel Moran told CBS News that Republicans needed to persuade swing voters to regain the House majority. The 2:15 p.m. EST CBS update still described a postponement vote as expected and gave no Senate result.
