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Jordan emerges as potential next GOP leader if Dems seize House

Jordan emerges as potential next GOP leader if Dems seize House

One of President Donald Trump’s most prominent allies in Congress could soon become his highest-ranking defender against a barrage of Democrat-led investigations and impeachment threats. Several House Republicans told Fox News Digital they expect the chamber will slide out of their control come November — and with it, a major shakeup in their top leadership ranks. “I don’t see a scenario where everyone gets to keep their job,” one House GOP lawmaker bluntly told Fox News Digital. “I think [Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.] would be first out, and then [House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.] has got to decide if he’s going to run for leader and, can he beat [House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio]?” Jordan’s name was one that came up often in Fox News Digital’s discussions with various House Republicans, all of whom spoke under the condition of anonymity to discuss internal conference matters. HOUSE DEMS PLOT TRUMP INVESTIGATION BLITZ IF THEY SEIZE MAJORITY A second House Republican said Jordan is the “number one name” in talks of a GOP minority leader. HOUSE CONSERVATIVES UNLEASH MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR MIDTERM BLITZ AGAINST DEM ‘SOCIALIST’ INSURGENCY The Ohio Republican already enjoys high name recognition among the party base. As the first lawmaker put it, “His celebrity status is very helpful … when Jim Jordan comes to town for you, you put 300 butts in seats.” That status has been on full display so far this election cycle. Jordan has spent much of August and October traveling across the country campaigning for fellow House Republicans along the political spectrum, from vulnerable moderates to conservative MAGA acolytes. TOP REPUBLICAN UNLOADS ON RISE OF ‘ANTI-AMERICAN’ CANDIDATES HEADING INTO MIDTERMS: ‘YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING’ It’s a far cry from the Jordan who ran for speaker in October 2023, when former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ouster sparked a historic scramble to replace him. Jordan’s bid at the time was marked by fervent conservative support and fierce opposition from moderates, several of whom said they felt threatened by Jordan’s allies for their opposition. The first House Republican described his current persona as “Jim Jordan 2.0.” “He’s taken steps to, I think, build out way beyond the Freedom Caucus in terms of people that support him,” that person said. “Like, he’s just a great citizen of the conference.” But Jordan himself has not publicly pushed any leadership ambitions since the 2023 battle, when Johnson ended up speaker after several weeks of political chaos. The second House Republican said they’ve seen Jordan actively dismiss any such conversations. He told Punchbowl News earlier this week that he was “focused on winning” the House majority. The first person said, “I think [Jordan] quietly, without campaigning for it, has built up some infrastructure like that. But also, he could be throwing darts at leadership, and he’s not. He’s just trying to help us win.” A third House Republican pointed out that, if Democrats win the House in another blue wave, many of Jordan’s most vocal opponents from 2023 will have lost their seats. And unlike a speaker race, where a majority of the full House is needed, a minority leader would only need to win a majority of the GOP conference. “If we lose 20 or 30 of those guys and all you’re left are guys like me, I think Jim Jordan’s chances are much higher. Because the only people left in the conference are going to be conservative,” the third GOP lawmaker said, adding they would “1,000%” back Jordan. FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: FOR THE DEMOCRATS, WHERE COULD IT POSSIBLY GO WRONG? But a potential minority leader Jordan would not come without a fight. Most House Republicans are privately expecting Scalise, Johnson’s No. 2 and a member of House GOP leadership since 2014, to run for the job. “It’s very obvious they’re both jockeying for it,” a fourth House Republican told Fox News Digital. “Jordan’s a pretty big draw for a lot of folks. I think he might have a play there. But there’s a lot of people who are loyal to Steve, especially those that have been around a while.” A fifth GOP lawmaker said, “I would guess, at this point, that Scalise would be in the lead with Jordan running a close second.” “And I think it would just depend on, you know, who would people see as a better fighter against the Democrats?” the fifth person posed. A sixth House Republican allied with Scalise said a fight between the Louisiana Republican and Jordan seemed on the horizon if Republicans lost, and argued his decision would be based on who is best positioned to continue leading if that majority comes back. “In some respects, Jim Jordan, I think, would make a pretty good minority leader because he’s a bulldog … [but] I’ve never believed that Jim Jordan would be an effective speaker,” that sixth person said. “I think Steve Scalise probably is the best candidate that we have out there that has experience in dealing with the administration, that understands the must-pass portion of our agenda … and is our best negotiator.” It would likely be a bruising battle, given there’s no love lost between the two men after their competing bids for speaker after McCarthy’s ouster. Scalise had won a majority of Republicans in a head-to-head against Jordan behind closed doors but failed to clinch the necessary majority on the House floor. JOHNSON DELIVERS BIG FOR TRUMP, BUT FRUSTRATION GROWS ACROSS RAZOR-THIN GOP MAJORITY But it’s not clear if it may even come to that. “I think that if Johnson runs for minority leader, he would still get the votes,” the fifth person said. “He’s done everything you could ask of a leader. He’s raised the money, he’s been on the road. He’s cobbled together very difficult votes over the last two years that no one thought possible.” There is also a world where Republicans defy expectations to keep the House. And in that world, Johnson is all but guaranteed to remain in charge. “Speaker Mike Johnson

Top conservative group unveils full-court press in key battleground state to expose ‘shocking’ Dem platform

Top conservative group unveils full-court press in key battleground state to expose ‘shocking’ Dem platform

FIRST ON FOX – CEDAR RAPIDS, IA : One of the largest pro-life organizations in the country is pouring time and resources into the high-stakes battleground of Iowa, making the case that voters of all backgrounds will be “shocked” to know where the Democratic Party stands on abortion. Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America’s ground game has knocked on over 172,000 doors in Iowa promoting the Republican ticket in the Hawkeye State. Additionally, the group has a planned digital spend of $650,000 to go along with a $1.35 million spend from the Women Speak Out PAC, SBA’s super PAC, to contact voters in the Iowa universe. “The scale of SBA Pro-Life America’s voter contact program is among the largest in the nation and certainly the largest in the pro-life movement,” SBA President Marjorie Dannenfelser told Fox News Digital. Fox News Digital was on the ground in Iowa with SBA canvassers in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday, where the team passed out flyers and spoke to voters in support of Iowa Republican Sen. Ashley Hinson and hammered the abortion positions of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand. TRUMP-ENDORSED HINSON SECURES IOWA SENATE NOMINATION AS DEMOCRATS EYE GOP SEAT “Our goal really is just to inform voters,” SBA field rep Amy Elizabeth told Fox News Digital. “Most people we’re finding are pro-life, regardless of the way that they vote and we want to make sure that they’re aware of the candidate’s views on abortion and pro-life and we wanna make sure they’re making knowledgeable and informed decisions when they go to the polls.” Literature passed out by the canvassers calls Sand “wrong for Iowa families” while arguing that he will “do everything in his power to overturn Governor Kim Reynolds’ pro-life legacy” and “even supports painful late term abortions. The literature also promotes Hinson as the “pro-life champion” that Iowans “need in DC.” Elizabeth told Fox News Digital that the conversations with voters on the ground have been effective. “Some of my favorite conversations have come from people who normally wouldn’t vote the same way that I would vote,” Elizabeth explained. “They’re not typically conservative voters. They are a little bit more liberal leaning. But when we really are open to having conversations together and I can share with them some information about the candidates that they typically would vote for, they are very surprised and they’re very shocked to hear how those candidates feel on some issues that are important to them.” NEW MIDTERM BATTLEGROUND TAKES SHAPE AS PARTIES BUILD ELECTION ARMIES Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and Women Speak Out PAC announced in August that their Iowa voter-contact program had surpassed 100,000 visits to voters’ homes in the Des Moines, Davenport and Cedar Rapids areas. The groups said the effort is targeting persuadable and low-turnout voters ahead of November’s elections, with the goal of defeating Democrats they describe as “pro-abortion” and electing candidates who support abortion restrictions. Nationwide, Dannenfelser says SBA will ultimately reach 10.5 million voters during this election cycle, including 4 million at their front doors in person. “Our hardworking field team has been on the ground in key battleground states, educating voters about the Democrats’ radical agenda of all-trimester abortion — anytime, for any reason, paid for by taxpayers — even when babies can feel pain,” Dannenfelser said. “Polling shows the vast majority of Americans reject this, and our team at the doors is finding it true visit after visit. One conversation at a time, we are changing hearts, minds, and votes. We focus on Republicans, Democrats, and Independents that can be persuaded and low-propensity, pro-life voters. All these groups are shocked by Democrats’ extremism on abortion.” A third of Republicans would be less likely to vote in the midterms if they believe that the GOP has abandoned the abortion issue, according to polling released earlier this year, suggesting that driving pro-life Republicans to vote will play an important role in the party’s hopes to retain control of Congress in November.