Jordan, the House Judiciary Committee chairman, will lead a diminished conference when the 120th Congress convenes next year.

He pledged to "fight for American families," telling reporters: "When Democrats offer more government, we'll offer more freedom, and we will bring that fight in committee, on the floor, and on the stump every single day."

Jordan is a co-founder of the far-right House Freedom Caucus who built his brand battling party leadership rather than joining it, The Hill reports.

The size of the midterm rout appears to have tipped the scales: Rep. Darin LaHood told The Hill that if the election had been closer, the results could have been different, calling Jordan "change" with "a very detailed plan on how we get out of the minority."

NBC News reports the outcome signals Republicans wanted a clean break from outgoing Speaker Mike Johnson's political apparatus after a historic drubbing.

The leadership change follows sweeping midterm defeats.

ABC News reports House Democrats hold a 254-166 margin going into the 120th Congress with 15 races undecided, while NBC News projects Democrats will secure roughly 259 seats — the largest majority in 35 years — and Republicans lost at least seven Senate seats with two races yet to be decided.

In the Senate, John Thune of South Dakota was re-elected leader by acclamation after conservatives failed to delay the vote, with John Barrasso as whip and Tom Cotton as conference chair, per ABC News.

Jordan takes over as Democrats promise waves of investigations into the Trump administration, family and business ventures, The Guardian reports.

He pitched colleagues that his oversight experience would let him counter the probes, writing in a letter, "I am battle-tested on the oversight front and I know the Democrats' playbook," per NBC News.

Democrats decried the pick — Rep. Don Beyer, citing Jordan's election days after Trump named Stephen Miller chief of staff, said Republicans "learned absolutely nothing" and are "elevating their most extreme voices to positions of power," as The Guardian and The Hill report.

The Hill reports that President Trump stayed out of the leadership races, an unusual move, and that many Republicans blame his policies — the Iran war, global tariffs and a deportation surge — for dragging down candidates.

Some suggested members chose Jordan because he expressed willingness to break from the president on certain issues. Rep. Rich McCormick told The Hill that Jordan answered that Republicans should "lead" with their own message rather than wait on the president.

Jordan also rose to prominence as a strident Trump defender, serving on his first-impeachment defense team, The Guardian notes.

Jordan must unify a demoralized conference, craft a message for 2028 and defend Trump from promised Democratic probes, The Hill reports.

The rest of the slate mostly held: Tom Emmer beat August Pfluger for whip and Lisa McClain defeated Greg Steube and Erin Houchin for conference chair, per ABC News.

NBC News notes House Democrats pick their leadership next week, with Hakeem Jeffries unopposed for speaker and able to afford roughly 40 defections. Thune said Republicans intend to "internalize the message the American people were sending," per ABC News.