Scalise and Jordan Face Off as House Republicans Pick Minority Leader
House Republicans vote Tuesday to pick between Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan as minority leader, with the whip race and Senate leadership also on the ballot.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / Gage Skidmore
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 — House Republicans will vote on Tuesday in a secret ballot to choose their next leader, settling a two-man contest between Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio that will shape how the party fights from the minority for the next two years.
The vote comes a week after Democrats captured both chambers in the Nov. 3 midterms, winning at least 54 of the 100 Senate seats and at least 254 of the 435 House seats, according to official state results. The winners will lead the Republican conference when the 120th Congress is sworn in this January.
Key Takeaways
- House Republicans choose between Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan for minority leader in a secret-ballot vote on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
- The whip contest pairs current Majority Whip Tom Emmer against Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger.
- In the Senate, Majority Leader John Thune is seeking to keep his post, with Majority Whip John Barrasso expected to seek another term.
A rematch three years in the making
The two have been here before. After the House ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October 2023, both sought the speakership. Jordan won the internal nomination but lost three floor votes, Scalise withdrew, and Mike Johnson emerged as the compromise choice.
Scalise's case rests on experience: majority whip from 2014 to 2018, minority whip from 2019 to 2022, and majority leader since 2023. His supporters say the conference needs a practised vote-counter in the minority.
Jordan's case rests on combat. A founding member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and a close ally of President Donald Trump, he has chaired the Judiciary Committee since 2023. His backers, including Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, say the leader's first job is to stand up to a Democratic majority expected to investigate the administration relentlessly.
| Candidate | Current post | Leadership record | Campaign pitch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steve Scalise (Louisiana) | House majority leader | Majority whip 2014–2018; minority whip 2019–2022 | Experience and discipline in the minority |
| Jim Jordan (Ohio) | House Judiciary Committee chairman | Freedom Caucus founder; Judiciary chairman since 2023 | Aggressive oversight of the Democratic majority |
The whip race and the Senate contests
Below the top job, the whip contest pairs Emmer against Pfluger, who chairs the Republican Study Committee, the House's largest conservative caucus. The whip runs daily vote-counting and messaging.
Senate Republicans also vote on Tuesday. Thune of South Dakota is seeking to retain his position as party leader, while Barrasso of Wyoming is expected to seek another term as majority whip. With Democrats set to hold at least 54 seats, Senate Republicans will need near-total unity.
What the winner inherits
Whoever wins leads a party with few levers of power: the minority leader sets strategy and speaks for the conference but cannot set the House agenda. The job is holding the conference together ahead of 2028.
That case will be tested at once: Congress returned Monday for the lame-duck session, with funding due to expire Dec. 11 and none of the 12 spending bills for fiscal 2027 passed. Neither candidate has announced a public endorsement from President Donald Trump. Hakeem Jeffries, the Democrat expected to become speaker, has begun organising his team — see Jeffries' backing of the Hegseth impeachment push — while Trump has questioned the outcome that forced this contest, as covered in his response to the midterm results.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do House Republicans vote for their next leader?
Tuesday, Nov. 10, by secret ballot. The winner needs a majority of the conference vote.
Who are the candidates for House minority leader?
Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the current majority leader, and Jim Jordan of Ohio, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Speaker Mike Johnson said on Nov. 4 he would not seek the post.
What does the minority leader do?
The minority leader is the most senior member of the party holding the fewest seats. The role covers strategy, speaking for the conference, and serving as the party's nominee for speaker when the House elects one.
When do the new leaders take office?
When the 120th Congress is sworn in this January. The current leadership stays in place through the lame-duck session.
Results are expected on Tuesday evening. The winners take up their posts when the 120th Congress convenes in January, and the new minority leader's first test comes quickly: the lame-duck session runs to a Dec. 11 funding deadline, with none of the 12 spending bills yet passed.
