House Republicans are preparing to choose their next minority leader after suffering massive election losses that cost them their majority and dozens of additional seats. The decision will offer an early measure of how the conference intends to operate in the 120th Congress.

Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Steve Scalise of Louisiana are competing for the job. The minority leader will occupy a central role in Republican policy fights, political strategy and the party’s effort to reclaim the House majority in 2028.

Jordan, the founding chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, is closely connected to the party’s right flank and is a close ally of President Donald Trump. He is arguing for a more conservative and confrontational approach to life in the minority.

In his candidacy announcement, Jordan said Republicans cannot merely “spotlight how radical this new Democrat party is.” He added, “Offense, not defense, wins elections.”

Jordan is generally preferred by the conference’s hard line conservatives, and his victory would represent a notable shift from the existing Republican leadership team. His allies emphasize his relationship with conservative voters, his television communication skills and his combative political style.

Scalise, by contrast, is considered the more establishment option and has served in Republican leadership for more than a decade. Many traditional Republicans see him as the candidate offering a more predictable approach built around experience, organization and institutional knowledge.

In his own announcement, Scalise said Republicans must “stand united as one team, be smart and strategic to secure conservative policy wins where we can, closely coordinate our defense against aggressive oversight and together develop a clear vision and agenda to earn back the majority in 2028.”

Both candidates present themselves as deeply conservative and have records supporting those claims. Jordan played a prominent role in the early Freedom Caucus, while Scalise chaired the Republican Study Committee before winning a leadership position in 2014.

Republicans will hear from Jordan and Scalise on Tuesday morning before voting by secret ballot in the afternoon. A simple majority is required, but members do not appear confident about predicting which veteran lawmaker will prevail.

“It’s very close right now — I think that a few votes can decide it,” one House Republican told MS NOW while requesting anonymity because of the sensitive internal dynamics. The lawmaker added, “Everybody’s so frustrated and we’ve lost so many members.”

The two Republicans have faced each other before. In 2023, after a small group of Republicans joined Democrats to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Scalise defeated Jordan in a conference vote by 113 to 99.

Jordan then backed Scalise, but Scalise withdrew after failing to secure enough support to become speaker. His exit eventually cleared the way for Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana.

This contest arrives under sharply different circumstances, exactly one week after Republicans lost their majority and dozens of additional seats. Both candidates are promoting their work for Republican candidates while offering different strategies for responding to the electoral wipeout.

Scalise raised more than $23 million for Republican candidates during the cycle and visited more than 100 cities, according to a House Republican aide who requested anonymity to disclose private data. His supporters argue that his fundraising ability, network and leadership experience could help unify the battered conference.

Jordan traveled to 115 districts across 34 states and raised more than $4.5 million for Republican candidates, according to a source familiar with his efforts who was not authorized to speak publicly. The source said Jordan had fewer fundraising resources because he was not part of House Republican leadership.

Rep. Carlos Gimenez of Florida backed Scalise’s experience and organizational reach. “He’s got the experience, he’s got the network, he has, I believe, a better fundraising ability and I think he will have a better chance of unifying the conference,” Gimenez said.

Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana argued that Republicans need a fighter and fresh leadership after their losses. “Especially with the group that’s coming in to govern, I mean, against socialists, we’re gonna have to have somebody that fights,” he said.

Stutzman also acknowledged the strength of Scalise’s political operation. “I don’t think you can ever count out Steve,” he said. “Steve knows how to run a really strong operation.”