Washington — Former House Speaker John Boehner once described Rep. Jim Jordan, the next Republican leader of the House, as a political “terrorist.”
“I’ve never seen a guy who spent more time tearing things down, never building anything, never putting anything together,” the former Republican Party leader said. told CBS News in 2021.
On Tuesday, House Republicans selected Jordan will lead the party into the next Congress, a significant shake-up in party leadership that signals they are ready to fight after losing more than 40 seats in the midterm elections.
Jordan — who was a founding member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, which regularly makes legislation difficult for GOP leaders — built his reputation taking on Democrats in combative hearings as the top Republican on the powerful House Judiciary Committee. There, the Ohio Republican defended President Trump against the first impeachment inquiry, which centered on the president’s conduct toward Ukraine.
“Jim is a fighter,” said Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis of New York, who views Jordan, a former college wrestling coach, as someone who can unite the party’s different factions. “I think a big part of why we weren’t able to do more at this Congress was because we couldn’t bring the team together. I think Jim Jordan is someone that everyone respects and can bring everyone together.”
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images 
Republican Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, who is retiring after losing a Senate primary, said Jordan represents “the side of the party that is ready to fight.”
Norman suggested that the conference chose Jordan over current Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana for the role because he “represented more of what they wanted to see as a minority leader.”
“Nobody can debate better. Nobody can fight anymore,” Norman said.
Republican Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, called Jordan a “superb communicator” who can take on Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, who is expected to become House speaker in January.
“I want to see the first time they face each other,” Harris said. “Jim Jordan will hold his own in this.”
GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson, who represents Louisiana, said Jordan was a mentor to him when he was first elected to Congress a decade ago. The two men also served together on the Judiciary Committee, before Johnson unexpectedly became chairman in 2023 following the historic ouster of Kevin McCarthy.
After McCarthy’s impeachment, Republicans struggled to unite behind a replacement for nearly a month, bringing the House to a standstill. Jordan was one of the candidates who failed to gain enough support, although he ran for election three times to replace McCarthy before dropping out.
This wasn’t Jordan’s first time running for House leadership. He also failed in his bid for president in 2018 after Paul Ryan retired. And he then ran unsuccessfully for minority leader after Democrats took back the majority.
“He’s always been seen as a leader by the conference, and he’s going to do an extraordinary job,” Johnson said Tuesday after the leadership election.
Jordan may be seen by his Republican colleagues as a leader, but his record as a lawmaker is thin: He has never been a lead sponsor of any legislation passed in the House.
Again, for this Republican minority, passing bills may not be the issue. No measure with only Republican Party support will pass the House, especially not when Democrats are approaching a margin of nearly 90 seats. Johnson believes Jordan will have an easier time leading Republicans from the minority than he did as president. With his less enviable five-seat majority, Johnson constantly had to contend with Republican Party infighting and Mr. Trump’s shifting demands to pass anything in the House.
“It’s easier to hold a group together when you’re in the minority,” Johnson said.
Beyond his resistance to Democrats’ investigations and legislation, it remains to be seen what Jordan will fight for. Significant bipartisan legislation is unlikely to be on his agenda. But Jordan is sure to have a strong ally in the White House with the rise of a like-minded hardliner. Stephen Miller as Mr. Trump’s new White House chief of staff.
Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, who served with Jordan on the Judiciary Committee, called Jordan “a guy with real talent and real gifts.”
“I would like him to use them to defend the public interest and not to defend Donald Trump,” he said Wednesday.
Jeffries, when asked Tuesday whether he might work with Jordan in the next Congress, told reporters, “That remains to be seen.” He added: “He’s going to have to figure out where he’s going to go going forward.”
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