‘Anyone connected to what just happened should not be in a position of power.’
That was the stark assessment of a conservative House aide as Republicans confronted the damage from their midterm defeat and prepared for a leadership battle within the diminished minority caucus.
After a Democratic wave swept away the GOP’s House majority, Speaker Mike Johnson said he would not pursue the party’s top leadership position next year.
His announcement has opened the door to a contest between two of Donald Trump’s most prominent congressional allies: Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Ohio Representative Jim Jordan.
But the aide, who works for a veteran conservative lawmaker, told the Daily Mail that Republicans associated with the leadership team overseeing the election loss could face serious resistance.
That could include Scalise as well as Majority Whip Tom Emmer, another experienced figure in the conference.
Not every Republican is ready to blame the leadership. A second House GOP staffer said tensions were high but argued that Johnson and his senior lieutenants were not the focus of the anger.
‘I think, as JD Vance kind of pointed out, there’s a feeling that it was the war and how that impacted things,’ the staffer said. ‘We haven’t gotten a sense that people are blaming Mike Johnson or the leadership.’
Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan are now competing to replace Mike Johnson next year
‘We haven’t gotten a sense that people are blaming Johnson or the leadership,’ a GOP House staffer told the Daily Mail after Tuesday night’s punishing election losses
The contest revives a rivalry that emerged during the previous speaker fight. After Kevin McCarthy was removed in October 2023, Scalise secured the Republican conference’s nomination but ultimately withdrew from consideration.
Jordan then lost three votes on the House floor before Republicans turned to Johnson.
Another Republican staffer, speaking anonymously about internal discussions, said Jordan, Representative August Pfluger and Erin Houchin could potentially run as a coordinated slate, with each bringing strengths the others lack.
As chairman of the Republican Study Committee, Pfluger has built strong ties across a broad section of the conference, sources said.
Republicans who view Jordan’s approach as too confrontational could be more comfortable supporting a ticket that includes Pfluger.
Houchin would bring substantial legislative and coalition-building experience from both state and federal politics to any possible leadership team.
The winner will guide a weakened Republican Party through the final two years of Trump’s presidency.
This leadership contest, however, comes with far greater consequences.
Republicans are bracing to hand the House majority back to Democrats, who are expected to choose Representative Hakeem Jeffries as speaker in January and take control of influential congressional committees.
Democrats are already developing an aggressive investigative agenda that could place Trump, members of his family and several close allies under intense congressional scrutiny.
DISCOVER MORE: Prince Harry quietly attends Remembrance Sunday service in small town
Potential targets include the president’s business interests and cryptocurrency ventures, the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files, alleged misconduct by ICE agents and Elon Musk’s government contracts.
Democrats also plan to examine the administration’s use of executive authority, including Trump’s ballroom construction project and military operations in Iran.
Scalise, who currently serves as House majority leader, is arguing that his years in the leadership ranks make him the strongest candidate to take over immediately.
In a letter to colleagues, Scalise acknowledged the severity of the Republican setback, writing: ‘Last night’s election was far worse than any of us expected.’
He said his top priority as Republican leader would be reclaiming the House majority and urged colleagues to hold him responsible for delivering on that goal.
Scalise has also cautioned Republicans to prepare for what he calls Democratic ‘retribution’ once Democrats control the chamber’s investigative machinery.
In a separate message to committee chairmen, he asked lawmakers to identify investigations Democrats might pursue involving Trump, his administration and conservative allies.
Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is positioning himself as the Republican best prepared to confront Democrats in the next Congress.
In his own letter, Jordan said he was ‘battle-tested on the oversight front’ and familiar with the Democratic strategy. He argued that Republicans needed a leadership team that was more energetic, visible and engaged.
Scalise, the current House Majority Leader, says his years in leadership have prepared him to take charge immediately
Representative Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said he was ‘battle-tested on the oversight front’ and understood the Democrats’ playbook
Despite his heavy involvement in the election campaign, President Trump has so far declined to endorse a preferred candidate in the leadership race.
Asked on Wednesday whether he planned to intervene, Trump told reporters: ‘We’ll stay out of it.’
‘The speaker was fantastic,’ Trump said. ‘The people under him were fantastic. All good people.’
On Friday, Trump endorsed Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters, even as the party faced mounting criticism over its major midterm losses.
Trump praised Gruters for his loyalty and leadership as Republicans reassessed their campaign strategy and searched for answers about what went wrong at the polls.
The endorsement came as Gruters faced a possible challenge from RNC co-chair KC Crosbie, who announced Thursday that she would seek to replace him. Axios reported that the White House was caught off guard by her decision.
Gruters, a longtime Trump ally from Florida, has led the committee as Republicans begin rebuilding after Democrats’ strong showing in Tuesday’s elections. Trump’s support could carry weight as the party considers who should lead the RNC toward the 2028 presidential contest.
The House Republican Conference is scheduled to conduct its leadership elections on Tuesday.