Rep. Jim Jordan was climbing into a car with his wife on Thursday morning, headed for the airport, when he stopped to take a reporter’s call. It was a familiar scene for the Ohio Republican, who has spent much of the past several months crisscrossing the country to help fellow Republicans campaign.
Senior House Republican leaders are also traveling widely to raise money and rally support ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections. Jordan isn’t part of that leadership group, but his schedule has been just as packed.
His appearances range from fundraisers to rallies, and sometimes combine the two. Jordan said he was doing what he could to help Republicans win, adding that he worries Democrats would try to reshape the structure of government if they regain power.
A person familiar with his schedule said Jordan will have visited 115 congressional districts in 34 states during the election cycle. In the run-up to Nov. 3, he spent 19 straight days on the road, traveling through states including Washington, Oregon, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois and South Carolina.
His central message has stayed much the same, he said: Republicans have cut taxes and tightened border security, while Democrats would make the country’s problems worse. Jordan acknowledged that prices remain high, but blamed much of the increase on inflation during the Biden administration. He said the rate of inflation is coming down, while conceding that costs are still a concern.
Jordan also warned that what he called the Democratic Party’s radical wing could pursue alarming changes if it gained control of government.
Unlike senior leaders, Jordan doesn’t typically have access to chartered flights or police motorcades. He has taken some private flights, but much of his travel has involved commercial planes and long drives between stops—traffic included.
For music on the road, he often turns to the hits of the late country singer Glen Campbell. He also spends travel time calling or texting colleagues about their races and checking with staff on what issues to focus on at upcoming events.
Jordan has helped raise substantial sums for Republican campaigns, contributing $1.97 million to candidates around the country and $2.65 million to the House GOP’s campaign organization.
Republicans are facing a difficult fight to hold their House majority, with several forecasts suggesting Democrats are well positioned to take control. Jordan’s intense campaign schedule stands out for someone outside the party’s senior leadership, though lawmakers say his profile draws crowds.
Rep. Tim Moore of North Carolina said Jordan contacted him about holding an event in Moore’s district. The fundraiser in Gastonia drew nearly 300 people and generated strong turnout, donations and enthusiasm, Moore said. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise also visited the district and helped raise money.
Jordan has campaigned with both conservatives in heavily Republican districts and moderates in competitive races. At many events, he has walked out to Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger.” Some Republicans see his work across the party as a departure from his earlier reputation as an anti-establishment figure who led the House Freedom Caucus.
One Republican lawmaker described him as a “Jordan 2.0,” while another said members across the party regard him as a mentor. They said his campaign stops come both at the request of colleagues and through invitations Jordan makes himself. He doesn’t seem concerned, one lawmaker said, about whether a colleague is moderate or has to lean left to hold a seat; the priority is representing constituents.
Asked whether he or the Republican Party had changed, Jordan pointed to the broader political landscape. He said disagreements among Republicans were relatively small compared with the differences between the GOP and what he called the far-left wing of the Democratic Party.
Jordan’s travel has also fueled speculation about his political ambitions. Some Republicans and observers expect he may seek a senior leadership post, after previous attempts to secure one fell short. If Republicans lose their majority, he is also seen as a possible candidate for minority leader and a leading congressional defender of President Trump.
Jordan brushed aside questions about leadership, saying his attention was on Tuesday’s election. In his view, voters can stop the policy and government changes he opposes at the ballot box.
The call ended as Jordan prepared to board a flight to Florida, where he was scheduled to campaign with Republican candidates that evening.
