House Republicans will choose between Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan for minority leader in a secret ballot Tuesday, Nov. 10, NPR reported, setting the party’s direction after Democrats retook the House.
The party’s leadership vote follows a defeat in which Democrats took more than 40 seats previously held by Republicans, according to NPR. The result leaves the GOP to organize from the minority in the next Congress.
The opening follows Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision not to seek a leadership position in the next Congress, The Independent reported, citing two people familiar with the matter. EconoTimes previously covered Johnson’s decision not to seek a House GOP leadership post and the Nov. 10 minority-leader vote.
Scalise has held senior Republican leadership posts for more than a decade and has occupied the House party’s No. 2 job since 2023. In a letter announcing his bid, he described his style as “conservative and consensus-driven” and said winning back the majority would be his main goal.
Jordan, a co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus, has served on the House Oversight and Judiciary committees. NPR reported that the panels are expected to play a central role as Democrats plan investigations into President Trump and his administration. Jordan argued for an aggressive posture in his letter, writing that “offense, not defense, wins elections.”
Their race also reprises a 2023 contest in which both sought to replace Kevin McCarthy as speaker. Republicans selected Johnson after several candidates failed to gather enough support, NPR reported.
John Leganski, a former aide to McCarthy, estimated to NPR that more than 70% of incoming House GOP members were elected after Trump first won the presidency. NPR said Trump could have major influence over the conference, while reporting that he had stayed out of this contest so far.
Leganski told NPR a large Democratic win would limit the next leader’s leverage. He said the winner should try to win back the House and make governing difficult for Democrats, “largely by voting no.” The 120th Congress is scheduled to convene Jan. 3, 2027, according to The Independent.
