To keep Republicans from becoming conceited in their House majority, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, volunteered to serve as the proverbial thorn in their side. The Freedom Caucus he founded has sabotaged budgets, axed a House speaker, and recently exploded the Obamacare overhaul.
But in a major shakeup, Jordan could soon join the ranks of House leadership. He could chair the powerful House Oversight Committee beginning in 2018. And while that’d be a nightmare for some, it’s not an outlandish possibility.
A vacuum opened up suddenly when current Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, announced Wednesday that he would not seek re-election. Now Jordan stands third in line of seniority behind Rep. John Duncan of Tennessee and former Chairman Darrell Issa of California.
Due to the complexity of Congressional rules and the whims of House leadership, Jordan’s not exactly a shoo-in. But the conservative’s definitely a player.
When Issa was forced to step down in 2014, Jordan made an aggressive bid to lead the committee. Notably, he even won the endorsement of the Wall Street Journal. “In a crowded field, Rep. Jim Jordan,” the editorial board wrote one Sunday, “is the candidate best equipped to conduct thorough and credible investigations of federal waste, fraud and abuse.”
Of course back then, Republicans seemed like they were on the same team. Most of the infighting occurred during conference meetings and behind closed doors. Before the Freedom Caucus was a thing, the GOP presented a united front.
Obviously a lot’s different now. Jordan and company are no longer praised in the opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal. They’re condemned. And with Trump in the White House, chairing the Oversight Committee isn’t a plum position. It’d be a thankless job.
But while politics have changed, the cantankerous and curmudgeonly Jordan has not. In the first three months of the Trump presidency, the Ohio conservative has demonstrated that he’s no shill for the administration. Leading the charge against the American Health Care Act, Jordan openly defied both Speaker Ryan and the president.
So is Jordan prickly? Undeniably. Is he also a straight arrow? Absolutely. As a result, the conservative commands respect on both sides of the aisle with those who agree and disagree with him. And while leadership might not welcome him with open arms, if he makes a bid for the gavel, Jordan won’t be easy to beat.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
