Jim Jordan wins House GOP minority leader race

• Jordan bested Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), who had served as the No. 2 House Republican since 2014, in the conference-wide secret ballot for minority leader.
• Scalise trailed Jordan by 33 votes.
• Jordan's victory signals an appetite among House Republicans for a more confrontational approach as they prepare to enter the minority.

State of play: Jordan and Scalise entered Tuesday's election locked in a tight race, with both camps expressing confidence in their chances of winning.

• Jordan drew public support from some of the conference's most conservative members, who argued Republicans needed a change in direction after their devastating midterm losses.
• Scalise leaned on his longstanding relationships across the conference and his decade-plus of experience in leadership.

The big picture: Jordan's ascent represents a remarkable turnaround for a conservative agitator who spent much of his career challenging the Republican establishment before becoming one of President Trump's most vocal allies.

• He'll be tasked with uniting a fractured Republican conference and leading the party's efforts to reclaim the House majority in 2028.