Representative Jim Jordan, Republican of Ohio on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
Saul Loeb | Pool via Reuters
Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan will not run for the U.S. Senate seat next year, which is currently occupied by Senator Rob Portman, a Republican who has announced he will be retiring, the Jordanian campaign spokesman said on Thursday.
When interviewed by NBC News, Jordan’s spokesperson did not specifically rule out a possible leadership of Jordan for the governor of Ohio in 2022.
“He’s going to run for Congress,” the spokesman said as he pushed for the governor’s race.
Jordan, 56, has represented Ohio’s 4th Congressional District since 2007.
He is a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump and a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative lawmakers. Trump presented Jordan with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the highest civilian awards in the country, earlier this month.
Earlier this month, Jordan played a leading role in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the House of Representatives from indicting Trump for inciting the Jan 6th Capitol uprising.
Cleveland.com first reported that Jordan would not seek Portman’s seat.
Jordan’s spokesman told the news agency, “His focus is solely on representing the big people in Ohio’s fourth district.”
“Mr. Jordan believes that at this point he will be better placed to represent the Ohioans in the House of Representatives, where, as the Republican chief on the Justice Committee, he can advance an initial agenda for America, promote conservative values and hold a major government accountable.” said the speaker.
A group of ex-wrestlers at Ohio State University, where Jordan was assistant coach from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, has claimed that Jordan was aware of then-team doctor Richard Strauss’ sexual misconduct towards student wrestlers.
A wrestler told NBC News that he personally told Jordan about the abuse.
Jordan has repeatedly denied that he was aware of abuse.
