Jim Jordan (US politician)

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. 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.

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 won the general election, defeating Democrat Rick Siferd, 60% to 40%. The 4th has long been considered 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%.

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

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." He serves as the group's first chairman.

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.

Committee assignments

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

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. 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."

In March 2017, Jordan criticized the newly-introduced American Health Care Act, the Republican replacement bill for the Affordable Care Act, as an unacceptable form of "Obamacare Lite." On May 4, 2017, he voted to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and to pass a revised version of the American Health Care Act.

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.

In Congress, Jordan is among the most conservative Republicans, earning a perfect score from the American Conservative Union. He has voted consistently for anti-abortion legislation and was endorsed by Ohio Right to Life in 2012. 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.

In July 2008, Jordan was the first member of Congress to sign the "No Climate Tax" pledge, drafted by the conservative political advocacy group, Americans for Prosperity, founded and funded by the Koch brothers, which read "I will oppose any legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue." He followed this with votes to open Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling, prevent the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases, and bar greenhouse gases from Clean Air Act rules. He voted against enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution, tax credits for renewable electricity, tax incentives for renewable energy and energy conservation and on curtailing subsidies for oil & gas company exploration, earning him a 4% lifetime score on the National Environmental Scorecard from the League of Conservation Voters.

Jordan has been a leading critic of President Barack Obama's Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) program, advocating for its shutdown. Jordan has supported the continued production and upgrades of M1 Abrams tanks in his district. The Pentagon opposed the bipartisan action to maintain funding. 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.

On September 29, 2015, Jordan questioned Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards. In the fiercest confrontation of the hearing, Jordan sparred with Richards over her apology over a "staff member’s tone and statements" on a video recording when discussing fetal tissue donation she issued after the first video was made public. Jordan is against Planned Parenthood and actively supports defunding the organization.

2013 U.S. government shutdown

Jordan was 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. 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 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

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.

Personal life

Jordan and his wife Polly live near Urbana in central Champaign County. They have four children. His daughter Jessie is married to former Iowa Hawkeye Basketball player Jarrod Uthoff, who was a unanimous first team All Big Ten selection in 2016.