ORLANDO, Florida — Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) said Republicans will take control of the U.S. House in the 2022 midterm elections and that Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) will take over the speakership, providing his prediction Sunday during an exclusive interview with Breitbart News.
Jordan, a House Freedom Caucus member who has represented Ohio’s Fourth Congressional District since 2007, said during the interview at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that one key to Republicans and McCarthy triumphing over Democrats in 2022 is to “highlight how ridiculous” Democrats are, citing “open borders” and “closed schools.”
“Highlight the fact that they tried to cancel Kermit the Frog and The Muppets last week,” Jordan added in reference to Disney+ recently tacking an “offensive” warning label onto the beginning of The Muppet Show.
Despite its losses in November at the top of the ticket when President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump and the Senate just barely tilted toward Democrats after the Georgia runoff upsets in January, the Republican Party at the House level, by contrast, saw sweeping victories nationwide. The Cook Political Report prior to the election labeled 27 House races a “toss-up,” for example, and all 27 went to Republicans. Moreover, seven races labeled “likely” or “lean” Democrat went to Republicans.
Jordan said he envisions a GOP majority coming to fruition next year. “I think we’re going to win back the House. In 2023, Leader McCarthy will be Speaker McCarthy. … We’ve just got to hold them off for the next two years. But that’s not going to be easy. I mean, I think we’ll do it because this is America; Americans rise to the challenge. Deep down, the vast majority of this country still values liberty, still values the First Amendment and freedom. So highlight all the crazy things they’re doing, and then we’re gonna win it back in two years.”
Jordan also praised Trump as the “leader of the conservative movement” even as Trump has left office. He said voices such as that of Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), who received a massive amount of blowback — including from Jordan — after she broke with her party to vote in favor of impeaching Trump in January, are “wrong” to oppose him.
“I think Liz Cheney’s wrong. I think President Trump’s the leader of the conservative movement. He’s the leader of the America First movement. He’s the leader of the Republican Party, and I hope on January 20, 2025, he’s the leader of our country,” Jordan said. “I think that’s where the American people are. I certainly want that. No president in our lifetime … has done more of what they said they would do than President Trump.”
Jordan has long been a Trump ally. Before departing office in January, Trump awarded Jordan, ranking member of the Judiciary Committee and a member of the Oversight Committee, the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his efforts to fight corruption and specifically for his work to “unmask the Russia hoax.”
The Ohio Republican elaborated on why he believes Trump remains influential within the GOP post-presidency. “Most politicians say one thing, get there, come up with a bunch of excuses why they can’t do what they told you they were gonna do, and President Trump says, ‘I’m just gonna do it.’”
“He cut our taxes. He reduced regulations. He built the wall. He put conservatives on the court. He got out of the Iran deal. He got the embassy in Jerusalem,” Jordan continued. “I mean a host of other — he did it, and that’s what people appreciate, and they know it’s real. They know it’s not fake. He’s as genuine as the day is long. He is the leader of our party.”
Jordan added, “I hope he does run again.”
Write to Ashley Oliver at aoliver@breitbart.com.