Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is running for House Minority Leader after Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives on Tuesday night.
Jordan won reelection in Ohio’s 4th Congressional District, defeating Democrat Joshua Kolasinski and Independent Tracey Tackett, then announced his bid for the top House GOP post.
Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman reported Wednesday morning that Jordan is the first candidate in the race, writing that “Jordan will make the case that the leadership needs new blood, investigations are his specialty.”
Jordan made his candidacy official in a letter to colleagues obtained by CNN later Wednesday morning.
“This is a staggering day for our conference,” Jordan wrote. “We are losing colleagues and friends who’ve been valuable members of our conference and leaders in our party.”
He went on to call for the conference to regroup quickly. “When Americans get knocked down, they pick themselves up and get back to work. Now our Conference must do the same,” Jordan wrote, arguing Republicans must go on offense against Democrats over the next two years to retake the majority.
Without naming him, Jordan took a shot at outgoing Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership, writing, “For too long, we have operated without a clear plan to survive the hour or the day in front of.”
Jordan’s move follows a Fox News report that Johnson told his staff he will not seek the Minority Leader post, leaving the race open for House Republicans as they adjust to minority status after steep midterm losses.
Jordan, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, warned in September that a Democrat-controlled House would launch “nonstop investigations” targeting the first family and the next Republican presidential nominee.
On Tuesday night, as Democrats were projected to retake the House, Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, posted a blunt warning to Republicans on X: “LAWYER UP.”
