Trump ally Jim Jordan elected House Republican leader after midterm defeat

Jim Jordan, a hardline ally of President Donald Trump and founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, was elected leader of the US House Republicans on Tuesday. Jordan defeated Steve Scalise in a secret ballot with 106 votes to 73. He replaces Mike Johnson, who announced he was stepping down after Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress in last week's midterm elections.

The Ohio congressman, who serves as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, campaigned as a fighter to confront Democrats during the final two years of the Trump presidency. The New Straits Times reports that Jordan's victory represents a rejection of the party's established leadership, noting that Scalise has held senior Republican positions for over a decade. While both men are considered staunch Trump allies, the president declined to endorse either candidate.

The Times of Israel reports that Jordan vowed to use offensive tactics to stave off expected Democratic efforts to probe the Trump administration. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans reelected John Thune as their leader, retaining their existing leadership team.

Brief written by urgent.news from France 24, New Straits Times, Punch Nigeria, Punch, The Times of Israel — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.