U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH-4) has said that he will not seek election for the Senate seat that will soon be vacated by Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH).
A spokesperson for Jordan told Cleveland.com that the representative has been “honored by the overwhelming encouragement he has received to run for the United States Senate.”
“However, he is solely focused on representing the great people of Ohio’s Fourth District, and will not be running to fill the seat of retiring Senator Rob Portman,” the spokesperson said. “Mr. Jordan believes that at this time he is better suited to represent Ohioans in the House of Representatives, where as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, he can advance an America first agenda, promote conservative values, and hold big government accountable.”
Portman announced on Monday that he would not be seeking reelection at the end of his term, citing political “gridlock” in Washington, D.C. The two-term senator would be up for reelection in 2022.
“I don’t think any Senate office has been more successful in getting things done, but honestly, it has gotten harder and harder to break through the partisan gridlock and make progress on substantive policy, and that has contributed to my decision,” Portman said in a statement on Monday. “We live in an increasingly polarized country where members of both parties are being pushed further to the right and further to the left, and that means too few people who are actively looking to find common ground.”
Jordan’s announcement after speculation that he would make a bid for the Senate seat, Fox News said.
Jordan’s decision to not run means the Republican party will have a more difficult time regaining ground in Congress. The Senate is currently split 50-50, with a tiebreaker vote held by Vice President Kamala Harris, meaning the GOP only has to flip one seat to secure a majority.
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Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Ohio Star. Follow her on Twitter at @JordynPair.
