House Republicans Pick Jim Jordan as Leader After Defeat; Thune Holds in Senate
Posted on 11/11/26 at 11:01
- Jordan defeats Steve Scalise.
- Thune keeps his Senate leadership post.
- Republicans prepare for a stretch in the minority.
Republicans elected Jim Jordan on Tuesday, November 10, as their next leader in the House of Representatives, a week after the electoral setback.
The Ohio congressman defeated Louisiana’s Steve Scalise, 106 votes to 73, in a closed-door meeting.
Jordan, 62 and close to President Donald Trump, will lead a caucus that must adapt to working from the minority.
The decision opens a new chapter for the party: regaining legislative influence while Democrats prepare to take control of the House.
Mike Johnson’s Exit Paves the Way for Jordan
🗳 #Decision2026 | Republicans elect Jim Jordan as House minority leader after the defeat in the midterms.
https://t.co/G7VVbKMz4k
— Noticias Telemundo (@TelemundoNews) November 10, 2026
The change comes after Mike Johnson announced he would step down from Republican leadership following the defeat in the midterm elections.
The internal election puts Jordan in charge of reorganizing the Republican representatives, with the next Congress as the first political test.
His selection as party leader is not the same as being elected Speaker of the House, a separate position within the institution.
The new Congress will take office on January 3, 2027; the period defined by the change in majorities will then formally begin.
Jordan Anticipates Combative Opposition to Democrats
In his first remarks, Jordan presented the defense of freedom against greater government intervention as the core of the Republican message.
The message anticipates a political confrontation with Democrats, although it is not yet a detailed program of proposals for the next two years.
His closeness to Trump will be a central element of his leadership, as the president faces a Congress with a greater ability to challenge his agenda.
For Republicans, the challenge will be to turn the rhetoric of opposition into a strategy that keeps the caucus united after the election result.
John Thune Keeps Republican Leadership in the Senate
In the Senate, Republicans opted to keep John Thune at the head of their caucus, despite the discontent the elections stirred up.
Continuity prevailed after conservative factions tried to postpone the vote to discuss the causes of the defeat and the party’s direction.
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Thune acknowledged that the result fell short of expectations and said Republicans must heed the message voters sent.
His staying on offers organizational continuity, but it does not eliminate internal differences over how to carry out opposition during the next Congress.
What Changes for the U.S. Congressional Agenda
Both decisions show different responses to the same setback: new leadership in the House of Representatives and continuity in the Senate.
The new leaders will have to coordinate positions toward Democrats and define which initiatives to support, negotiate or try to block from the minority.
For the Hispanic audience, it will be important to follow how that strategy translates into debates over immigration, the budget and other federal priorities.
For now, the party’s internal elections reshuffle Republican power; by themselves, they do not change laws, benefits or immigration procedures.