Jim Jordan (U.S. politician)

For other people named "Jim Jordan" or "James Jordan", see James Jordan (disambiguation).
Jim Jordan
Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus
Assumed office
February 10, 2015
Preceded by Caucus founded
Chairman of the Republican Study Committee
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by Tom Price
Succeeded by Steve Scalise
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Ohio's 4th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2007
Preceded by Mike Oxley
Member of the Ohio Senate
from the 12th district
In office
January 3, 2001 – December 31, 2006
Preceded by Robert R. Cupp
Succeeded by Keith Faber
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 85th district
In office
January 3, 1995 – December 31, 2000
Preceded by Jim Davis
Succeeded by Derrick Seaver
Personal details
Born James Daniel Jordan
(1964-02-17) February 17, 1964
Urbana, Ohio
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Polly Jordan
Residence Urbana, Ohio
Alma mater University of Wisconsin–Madison
The Ohio State University
Capital University Law School
Occupation Politician
Religion Evangelical Christian

James Daniel "Jim" Jordan (born February 17, 1964) is the U.S. Representative for Ohio's 4th congressional district, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is located in the north-central portion of the state and includes Lima, Tiffin, and Elyria.

Early life, education and career

Jordan was born and raised in Champaign County, Ohio and attended Graham High School, graduating in 1982. While at Graham, he was a four-time state wrestling champion with a career record of 150–1. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1986, obtaining his bachelor's degree in economics. Jordan was a two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion. In the 1985 NCAA championship match, Jordan defeated future two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion John Smith.[1] He later earned a master's degree in education from the Ohio State University in Columbus, and in 2001 obtained his J.D. degree from Capital University, also in Columbus. Before entering politics, he was an assistant wrestling coach with the Ohio State University wrestling program.

Ohio General Assembly

Jordan was first elected to the Ohio General Assembly in November 1994 and went on to serve three terms as State Representative of the 85th Ohio House District. In 1996, he offered an amendment to the Welfare Reform Bill that limited the amount of time that an able-bodied individual could remain on welfare. He also created the Income Tax Reduction Fund, which required that any state revenue surpluses be used to lower the income tax burden on Ohioans rather than be used for further government spending.

In 2000, he won a seat in the Ohio Senate by defeating independent candidate Jack Kaffenberger by a margin of 88 percent to 12 percent. In 2004, Jordan defeated Kaffenberger again, this time by a smaller margin of 79 percent to 21 percent. In May 2006, Jordan won the Republican primary race for the 4th Congressional district of Ohio. He also won a 100% lifetime rating from the Ohio Taxpayers Association, which endorsed Jordan in his bid for Congress.[2]

Jordan was named Watchdog of the Treasury (1996, 2000, 2004), Outstanding Legislator (2004), Outstanding Freshman Legislator (1996), Friend of the Taxpayer (1997), and Pro-Life Legislator of the Year (1998) by the United Conservatives of Ohio, the Defender of Life award from the Ohio Right to Life Society, and the 2001 Leadership in Government Award from the Ohio Roundtable and Freedom Forum. Additionally, Senate President Bill Harris appointed Jordan to be the chairman of the Senate Judiciary on Criminal Justice Committee.

U.S. House of Representatives

Jordan won the Republican primary for the 4th District in 2006 after 26-year incumbent Mike Oxley announced his retirement. Despite the strong anti-Republican mood in Ohio that year, Jordan skated to victory in the general election, defeating Democrat Rick Siferd, 60% to 40%. The 4th has long been considered as one of the most (if not the most) Republican districts in Ohio and the nation; the district and its predecessors have been in Republican hands for all but 16 years since the Civil War.

He was reelected in 2008, defeating Democrat Mike Carroll 65% to 35%.[3]

Jordan chaired the Republican Study Committee during the 112th Congress. He was elected over Representative Louie Gohmert.[4] Jordan reportedly turned down a position on the Appropriations Committee.[5]

During the 114th Congress, Jordan helped found the House Freedom Caucus, a group of conservatives working to "support open, accountable and limited government, the Constitution and the rule of law, and policies that promote the liberty, safety and prosperity of all Americans." [6] He currently serves as the group's first chairman.[7]

Jordan received a vote for Speaker on the first day of the 113th Congress from fellow conservative Tim Huelskamp of Kansas. Jordan received two votes for Speaker during the 114th Congress.[8]

Committee assignments

Jordan serves as chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Health Care, Benefits, and Administrative Rules.[9]

Legislation

On May 2, 2014, Jordan introduced the simple resolution Calling on Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., to appoint a special counsel to investigate the targeting of conservative nonprofit groups by the Internal Revenue Service (H.Res. 565; 113th Congress) into the House, where it passed on May 7, 2014.[10] The resolution asks Holder to appoint a special counsel to investigate the 2013 IRS scandal. Jordan said that "we need this special counsel to help us get to the truth because the so-called investigation by the Justice Department has been a joke. The current investigation has no credibility because it is being headed by a maxed-out donor who is financially invested in the president's success."[11]

Political positions

While serving in the Ohio Senate, he supported the Tax and Expenditure Limitation Amendment, a state constitutional amendment that would require a vote of the people in order to raise taxes or increase spending over certain limits.[12]

In Congress, Jordan is among the most conservative Republicans, earning a perfect score from the American Conservative Union.[13] He has voted consistently for anti-abortion legislation and was endorsed by Ohio Right to Life in 2012.[14] During the 112th Congress, he was one of 40 "staunch" members of the Republican Study Committee who frequently voted against Republican party leadership and vocally expressed displeasure with House bills.[15]

Jordan has been a leading critic of President Barack Obama's Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) program, advocating for its shutdown.[16]

Jordan has supported the continued production and upgrades of M1 Abrams tanks in his district. The Pentagon opposed the bipartisan action to maintain funding.[17] The Pentagon wants to put a hold on tank upgrades at a Lima plant until a new version is ready, possibly in 2017, in order to save $3 billion. The plant supports approximately 800 jobs in the district.[18][19]

On September 29, 2015, Jordan questioned Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards.[20] In the fiercest confrontation of the hearing, Jordan sparred with Richards over the apology she issued after the first video was made public. Jordan is against Planned Parenthood and actively supports defunding the organization after a series of videos purported to show that the organization profited from the sale of fetal tissue.[21]

2013 U.S. government shutdown

Jordan has been a critic of Speaker John Boehner's plan to raise the debt ceiling. In 2010, he was chair of the Republican Study Committee, and during the U.S. government shutdown of 2013, he was still considered its most powerful member.[22] That group was the primary proponent and executor of the Republican Congressional strategy to force a government shutdown, in order to force changes in the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.[22]

Political campaigns

2008

Jordan won against Democratic nominee Mike Carroll.

2010

Jordan defeated Democrat Doug Litt and Libertarian Donald Kissick in the general election.

2012

Jordan defeated Democrat Jim Slone and Libertarian Chris Kalla in the general election.

2014

Jordan defeated Democrat Janet Garrett in the general election.

Electoral history

Election results[23]
Year Office Election Subject Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes %
1998 Ohio House of Representatives General Jim Jordan Republican 23,763 68.36% Robert Burns Democratic 10,999 31.64%
2000 Ohio Senate General Jim Jordan Republican 99,803 76.9% Jack Kaffenberger, Sr. Independent 15,545 12.0% Debra Mitchell Natural Law 14,373 11.1%
2006 U.S. House of Representatives General Jim Jordan Republican 129,958 59.99% Richard E. Siferd Democratic 86,678 40.01%
2008 U.S. House of Representatives General Jim Jordan Republican 186,154 65.17% Mike Carroll Democratic 99,499 34.83% John Green Write-in 167 0.17%
2010 U.S. House of Representatives General Jim Jordan Republican 146,029 71.49% Doug Litt Democratic 50,533 24.74% Donald Kissick Libertarian 7,708 3.77%
2012 U.S. House of Representatives General Jim Jordan Republican 182,643 58.35% Jim Slone Democratic 114,214 36.49% Chris Kalla Libertarian 16,141 5.16%
2014 U.S. House of Representatives General Jim Jordan Republican 125,907 67.67% Janet Garrett Democratic 60,165 32.33%

Personal life

Jordan and his wife Polly live near Urbana in central Champaign County. They have four children.

References

  1. ↑ "55th NCAA Wrestling Tournament: 1985" (PDF). Wrestlingstats.com. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  2. ↑ "ohiotaxpayers.com". ohiotaxpayers.com. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  3. ↑ "U.S. Congress: November 4, 2008". Sos.state.oh.us. November 4, 2008. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  4. ↑ Sabrina Eaton/The Plain Dealer (December 8, 2010). "Rep. Jim Jordan selected to chair Republican Study Committee". cleveland.com. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Appropriations panel loses its luster – Simmi Aujla and Richard E. Cohen". Politico.Com. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  6. ↑ Eaton, Sabrina (January 26, 2015). "Rep. Jim Jordan to co-found new GOP "House Freedom Caucus"". Cleveland Plain Dealer.
  7. ↑ Eaton, Sabrina (February 11, 2015). "It's official: Rep. Jim Jordan now chairs the House Freedom Caucus". Cleveland Plain Dealer.
  8. ↑ Davis, Susan (January 6, 2015). "Boehner re-elected as speaker despite GOP dissenters". USA Today.
  9. ↑ http://oversight.house.gov/subcommittee/subcommittee-health-care-benefits-administrative-rules/
  10. ↑ "H.Res. 565 – All Actions". United States Congress. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
  11. ↑ Bedard, Paul (May 2, 2014). "Next: Demand for special counsel to probe IRS scandal, Lois Lerner". The Washington Examiner. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  12. ↑ Drewblade, James. "The Blade ~ Toledo Ohio". toledoblade.com. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  13. ↑ "2008 Votes By State Delegation". archive.org. Archived from the original on March 24, 2009. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Ohio Right to Life". Ohiovotesforlife.org. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  15. ↑ Steinhauer, Jennifer (March 16, 2012). "G.O.P. Freshmen Not as Defiant as Reputation Suggests". New York Times.
  16. ↑ "Cleaning Up the Mortgage Mess". The Wall Street Journal. August 10, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
  17. ↑ Lardner, Richard (April 28, 2013). "Army says no to more tanks, but Congress insists". Yahoo! News. Associated Press. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  18. ↑ Sweigart, Josh (August 18, 2012). "Congress pushes for weapons Pentagon didn’t want". Dayton Daily News. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Downsizing the military". The Week. September 30, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  20. ↑ "Planned Parenthood defunding". c-span.org.
  21. ↑ "A Quick and Easy Guide to the Planned Parenthood Videos". The Federalist. September 29, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  22. 1 2 "Tea Party Politics: A Look Inside the Republican Suicide Machine". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Election Results". Ohio Secretary of State. Retrieved February 28, 2014.

External links

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