HOUSE

Rep. Jim Jordan, an Urbana Republican and a leader of the far-right wing of his party, announced Wednesday morning with little fanfare that he will run for minority leader in the soon-to-be Democratcontrolled House.

Rep. Steve Stivers, an Upper Arlington Republican who heads the campaign arm of House Republicans, said he would not seek a second term in that position.

And Rep. Tim Ryan, a Niles Democrat, assessed his role as a critic of current House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi as Pelosi prepares to seek the gavel again. Ryan challenged her for the post two years ago.

Stivers’ decision, in the wake of the loss Tuesday of the House majority, was a surprise but not a huge one.

On election night, he spent the evening at the National Republican Congressional Committee’s war room in D.C., watching as seats he’d hoped his party would hold onto fell like dominoes. Then he got up Wednesday morning, caught a 7:45 a.m. flight to Columbus and had a talk with his wife. He sent out an email announcing his decision to the NRCC staff at 3 p.m.

“It’s time for change,” Stivers said. “We need somebody who’s new and different, so I’m going to go back to doing policy work and continuing my work in civility with (Columbus Democratic Congresswoman) Joyce Beatty.”

He said he was “never that excited” about doing a partisan job but was recruited to do it, “so I did.”

“I obviously wanted to hold the majority, and I thought we had a shot,” he said. “But sometimes Stivers Jordan

things don’t work out. We were just a couple of lucky breaks away from holding the majority.”

Kyle Kondik of the University of Virginia said that as head of the campaign arm of House Republicans, Stivers did not help himself.

“Whenever you lose the House, there will be second-guessing of your strategy,” he said.

Jordan’s decision was even less surprising. In the hours after House Speaker Paul Ryan announced his impending retirement earlier this year, Jordan signaled that he’d be willing to run to replace him. He later said that if the GOP lost the House, he’d be willing to run for minority leader instead.

Jordan announced his decision Wednesday morning on Hill.TV. He declined repeated requests from The Dispatch for further comment. He’ll challenge Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the current House majority leader and a California Republican.

Jordan said on Hill.TV that he is running because Republicans have not followed through on the promises they made in 2016, including to reform welfare, replace Obamacare and secure the border.

He said that in 2016, “the American people elected Republicans to come here and change this town. I think the president is doing just that, but I don’t think they see the same intensity from folks in Congress, folks in the House of Representatives.”

He said that being the minority leader is “all about getting us in the majority so we can accomplish what they elected us to do.”

But others were skeptical of Jordan’s chances.

“These things are popularity contests, and he’s not that popular,” said John Feehery, a Republican consultant in Washington and former House staffer. “Members think he’s not in it for them, but in it for himself.”

Feehery said he thinks McCarthy has the votes to win.

Still in flux is Ohio’s Ryan, who said Wednesday he has not decided whether to repeat the challenge he made to Pelosi in 2016, after Democrats had suffered sweeping losses in a presidential year.

Instead, he said that he and other Democrats are “having a lot of conversations with newer members and really getting a feel for where they are and what they’re thinking about the future and what kind of leadership team they need in place.”

Ryan noted that many of the new members vowed not to back Pelosi during the campaign. He wants to make sure to “not put them in the position during their first vote to break the pledge they made.”

Would he challenge Pelosi again?

“I don’t have any intention right now of running, but I haven’t ruled it out, either,” he said.

He said he will take on one new position with Democrats’ retaking the majority: He will be an appropriations subcommittee chairman, known colloquially as a cardinal.

Kondik said he doubts Pelosi is vulnerable to a challenge, since the Democratic gains in the House were so big.

“It’s hard to throw out the leadership when you have a substantial seat gain. I think Pelosi will be OK,” he said.