Jim Jordan Wins House Republican Minority Leader Vote Over Steve Scalise, 106-73

House Republicans chose Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio as minority leader for the 120th Congress on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, defeating Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana. The secret-ballot vote, held behind closed doors, was 106 to 73, according to NBC News. CBS News and ABC News also report the 106-73 count.

The vote came after the midterm elections gave Democrats control of the House. ABC News reports a 254-166 Democratic margin with 15 races still undecided. NBC News puts Democrats at roughly 260 seats, the largest House majority in 35 years by its count.

Leadership Changes in the House and Senate

Speaker Mike Johnson said the week before the vote that he would not seek the House Republican leadership post, ABC News reports. CBS News says Johnson is stepping down from leadership and has been noncommittal about his future in Congress.

Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota won the minority whip post over Rep. August Pfluger of Texas, and Rep. Lisa McClain of Michigan kept the conference chair job, ABC News reports. CBS News adds that Rep. Brian Jack of Georgia will replace Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina as National Republican Congressional Committee chair, after Hudson lost his reelection race.

In the Senate, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota was re-elected Senate Republican leader by acclamation, according to NBC News. Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming remains whip, and Sen. Tom Cotton is conference chair. A small group led by Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin had tried to delay the vote. Senate Republicans voted 31-15 to proceed, and Ron Johnson walked out, NBC News reports.

The Vote Count
NBC News reports that Jordan defeated Majority Leader Steve Scalise 106 to 73 in a secret-ballot House Republican vote held on Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026.

What Republican Leaders Said After the Vote

Jordan said House Republicans will fight for American families over the next two years, NBC News reports. CBS News quotes him adding that Republicans will offer more freedom when Democrats offer more government.

ABC News reports that Emmer addressed Democrats about the period before Jan. 3, 2027, telling them to enjoy it. ABC News also quotes Thune saying the election result was not what Republicans had hoped for, and that the party intends to act on the lessons of the midterms.

Democrats’ Leadership Votes Before January 3

Democrats have not yet chosen their leaders. NBC News reports that Senate Democrats will hold their leadership election in early December, and House Democrats will pick their team next week. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York are the favorites to become speaker and Senate majority leader, NBC News says.

Jeffries needs 218 votes on Jan. 3, 2027. NBC News says he can lose about 40 votes and still reach that number. Several progressives are undecided on backing him, the network reports. Sen. Chris Van Hollen has not ruled out a run for Senate majority leader.

Jordan defeated a sitting majority leader, Steve Scalise, by 106 votes to 73.

Funding Deadline and Hegseth Impeachment Push

As of Nov. 8, lawmakers faced a Dec. 11 deadline to pass all 12 appropriations bills or another stopgap measure to avoid a shutdown, Yahoo News reports. The House had passed three of the 12, and Senate appropriators were deadlocked. Rep. Andrew Clyde said before the midterms that whether or not there is a government shutdown is entirely up to Senate Democrats.

The same report says Rep. Thomas Massie planned to reintroduce articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that week unless Hegseth resigns. Trump has said he intends to keep Hegseth in the Cabinet, and Hegseth said the effort would not work against him. ABC News reports that the House has tabled the Hegseth impeachment, effectively killing it in the current Congress.

The next dated steps are the House Democrats’ leadership vote next week, the Senate Democrats’ leadership vote in early December, the Dec. 11 funding deadline, and the House speaker vote on Jan. 3, 2027.