What Jim Jordan's 106-73 win over Steve Scalise means for House Republicans

House Republicans elected Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio as their leader for the next Congress on Nov. 10, in a secret ballot held behind closed doors. Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, defeated Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana 106-73.

The vote came a week after Democrats won sizable majorities in both the House and Senate in the Nov. 3 midterm elections, leaving Republicans in the minority for the final two years of President Donald Trump's presidency.

Jordan is a co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus and served as its first chairman. His win signals the party's post-midterm direction — offense over defense, per his own letter to colleagues — as it tries to rebuild toward a House majority. In the letter, Jordan wrote that the party's job "cannot be merely to spotlight how radical this new Democrat party is — offense, not defense, wins elections."

Across the Capitol, Senate Republicans met behind closed doors to decide whether to proceed with internal elections expected to retain Sen. John Thune as party leader, or to delay in a way that could allow a challenger to emerge.

Jordan will lead a historically small House Republican conference adjusting to life in the minority. The leadership choices in both chambers will shape how Republicans operate as the minority party during Trump's final two years.

What specific strategy Jordan will pursue to try to win back the House majority, and how his leadership style and Freedom Caucus background will shape relations with the Senate Republican conference, remain open questions.