Trump ally elected US House Republican leader after election rout

Jim Jordan, a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump, was elected as the leader of the Republicans in the US House of Representatives on Tuesday. He defeated fellow conservative Steve Scalise in a secret ballot, garnering 106 votes to Scalise's 73. The Ohio congressman, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, will assume the role of replacing House Speaker Mike Johnson, who announced his resignation following the party's electoral defeat in the recent midterm elections.

Senate Republicans, however, retained their leadership team, with John Thune being reelected as their leader. Despite calls from conservatives for a reassessment of the electoral losses, the existing leadership team remained in place. Jordan, a founding member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, presented himself as the fighter Republicans needed to face off against Democrats during the final two years of Trump's presidency.

His election was seen as a rejection of the party's established leadership, with Scalise having served in prominent Republican positions for over a decade. Both men were ardent Trump allies, but the president refrained from endorsing either candidate. The election was a continuation of their 2023 contest for the speakership after the ousting of Kevin McCarthy.

Jordan, a former professional wrestler, had built a reputation as a political brawler and a fierce critic of the Republican establishment. He was also a prominent defender of Trump during congressional investigations into the president's attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss. Thune's reelection as Senate Republican leader came after conservative lawmakers temporarily halted proceedings, seeking a clearer strategy for dealing with the incoming Democratic majority.

Thune, who will become Senate minority leader in January, vowed to work alongside Trump and oppose the Democrats' "far-left, liberal agenda."