On 10 November 2026, the US Republican Party elected Congressman Jim Jordan as the new leader of its caucus in the House of Representatives. He defeated the incumbent Republican Majority Leader, Steve Scalise, in a closed ballot by 106 votes to 73. The leadership change came following the Republicans’ heavy defeat in the mid-term elections on 3 November, which saw the Democratic Party gain control of both houses of Congress.
- On 10 November, the Republicans elected Jim Jordan as the party’s new leader in the US House of Representatives.
- Jordan defeated Steve Scalise by 106 votes to 73.
- In the elections on 3 November, the Democrats won a majority in both houses of Congress.
- Mike Johnson, the current Speaker of the House of Representatives, has declined to stand for the leadership of the Republican minority.
- In the Senate, Republicans are discussing the future of their leadership following the loss of their majority.
Jim Jordan is to lead the Republicans in the House of Representatives
A 62-year-old Jim Jordan He represents the state of Ohio and chairs the House of Representatives’ Legal Affairs Committee. He is one of the President’s political allies Donald Trump and is known for his support of the conservative wing of the Republican Party.
Jordan won a secret ballot amongst Republican Members of Congress, having gone round Steve Scalise, who currently leads the Republican majority in the lower house.
The current Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson decided not to stand as a candidate for the leadership of the parliamentary group after the party moved into opposition.
Jordan is one of the founders of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. He has served in Congress since 2007, and in 2023 he stood as a candidate for the post of Speaker of the House of Representatives, but failed to secure the necessary support.
He will now lead the Republicans in the lower house of the new Congress, which will begin its term in January 2027.
The Democrats have won a majority in both houses of Congress
In the by-elections on 3 November 2026, the Republican Party suffered significant losses.
According to Reuters, the Democrats have secured at least 54 of the 100 seats in the Senate and at least 252 of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives.
This means that, from the start of the new Congress in January 2027, the Republicans will lose control of both houses of Parliament.
At the same time Donald Trump will remain President of the United States. The new balance of power in Congress will limit the Republicans’ ability to pass legislation on their own.
The Democratic leader in the Senate Chuck Schumer After the election, he stated that the party planned to focus on reducing costs for American households and other domestic issues.
However, even with a majority in both houses, the Democrats will not automatically be able to push through all their bills.
To bring the debate on most legislative proposals in the Senate to a close, 60 votes are usually required. Furthermore, to override a presidential veto, the support of two-thirds of the members in each chamber is required.
Republicans in the Senate are arguing over the future leadership
Whilst the Republicans in the House of Representatives have chosen a new leader, the situation in the Senate remains unresolved.
The current leader of the Republican majority John Thun is standing for the post of leader of the minority party in the new Senate.
However, some senators, in particular Ron Johnson і Josh Howley, has called for the postponement of the internal party elections. They insist that the party must first analyse the reasons for its defeat and determine its future political strategy.
According to the Associated Press, following a two-hour closed-door meeting, the Republicans did not reach a final decision and agreed to continue their discussions.
Tun had previously stated his intention to cooperate with Trump and to counter the Democrats’ attempts to overturn the Republican administration’s decisions, particularly in the area of border security.
As of the evening of 10 November, Jim Jordan’s election as Republican leader in the House of Representatives has been confirmed. Meanwhile, the question of Republican leadership in the Senate remains unresolved. The new Congress will take office on 3 January 2027.
