ST. PARIS, Ohio—It’s October 2023 on the calendar in this western Ohio village of 1,900, but the scenes along the streets reflect a mix between a Norman Rockwell painting and a clone of Andy Griffith’s Mayberry.
Here, residents frequent independent small businesses in historic buildings downtown where American flags hang over the sidewalks. They get their prescriptions filled at St. Paris Pharmacy, their power tools at St. Paris Hardware, their couches and carpet at Thornton’s, and their coffee at Little Birds Café, where the talk on an early October morning focused on the village’s mayoral race and news out of Washington that the community’s favorite son could become speaker of the House.
St. Paris, located in Champaign County between Dayton and Columbus, is where Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) grew up. He was a four-time state wrestling champion at Graham High School, which is renowned as a perennial powerhouse in the sport. He still lives outside of the village with his wife Polly. The couple met when they were in middle school. They have four children, and their families have lived in the area for decades.
Mr. Jordan likes to say “I’m just a hick from Champaign County.” He’s simply known as “Jimmy” to locals who know him.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted as speaker of the House on Oct. 3, marking the first time in history that Congress’ lower chamber voted to unseat its speaker.
Mr. Jordan, head of the House Judiciary Committee and founding member of the House Freedom Caucus, declared his candidacy to replace Mr. McCarthy.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) are also contenders.
The House is in recess until Oct. 10. A candidate forum is scheduled for that day, and the speaker election is set for Oct. 11.
Locals in Support
Brittney Rickmon, 38, is from St. Paris, graduated from Graham High School, and owns Little Birds Café.“Nobody bends his opinion. He sticks to what he believes in, even when he knows he will get backlash,” Ms. Rickmon said. “He speaks for most of us in this town and this county. We feel the exact same way about the issues that he fights for. We feel like we have a voice in Washington because of him, and we’re proud of who he is.”
Mr. Jordan, who has served in Congress since 2007, is a key figure in high-profile House-led investigations into President Biden’s alleged ties to the business dealings of his son, Hunter Biden, and accusations of federal government weaponization against American citizens, among other issues.
In January, Mr. Jordan was nominated during the speaker’s race to replace Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), but he said he wasn’t interested. He supported Mr. McCarthy’s bid.
In a letter last week declaring his intent to run for House speaker, Mr. Jordan wrote to colleagues, “Now is the time for our Republican conference to come together to keep our promises to Americans.
“The problems we face are challenging, but they are not insurmountable. We can focus on the changes that improve the country and unite us in offering real solutions. But no matter what we do, we must do it together as a conference. I respectfully ask for your support for Speaker of the House of Representatives.”
Mr. Jordan is outspoken about his opposition to U.S. support for the Ukraine war. In an interview for the Fox News program “Fox & Friends,” he said that “the most pressing issue on Americans’ minds is not Ukraine, it is the border situation and crime on the streets and everybody knows that.”
Government Shutdown Threat
A Republican House majority led by Mr. Jordan could increase the chances of a government shutdown next month in a showdown between Republicans and Democrats over spending and inflation.Mr. Jordan has said he would not work with Democrats on a stopgap spending bill. Opponents of Mr. McCarthy cited his reliance on Democrats to avert a shutdown as a reason for removing him as House speaker.
“I think we are a conservative-center-right party. I think I’m the guy who can help unite that. My politics are entirely consistent with where conservatives and Republicans are across the country,” Mr. Jordan said in a TV interview last week.
Mr. Jordan is unlikely to receive votes from House Democrats, and he could struggle to gain support from centrist House Republicans, but in St. Paris, it is clear that “Jimmy Jordan” is the candidate best suited for the job.
“He’s one of us. I’ve never heard a harsh word out of his mouth. He is direct and stands up for what he believes in, but he is respectful,” said David Faulkner, a Graham High School graduate and a former Champaign County Commissioner.
“It seems that, in Washington, they either love him or hate him. Of course, those who, that don’t like him tend to lean on the progressive side,” Mr. Faulkner added. “He is fighting for the values that reflect where he came from. He steps on toes, but he is not afraid to do that because he feels what he’s doing is right. That is what we need from our leaders. We don’t need pushovers who cave and compromise.”
Mr. Jordan was born in 1964 and captured the state wrestling championship four years in a row at Graham High School before becoming a two-time NCAA wrestling champion at the University of Wisconsin.
After earning an economics degree at Wisconsin, he returned to Ohio and received a master’s degree in education at Ohio State University in 1991 and later completed a law degree at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.
When Mr. Jordan started his master’s degree program at Ohio State University (OSU), he also joined the wrestling program as an assistant coach, where he served between 1987 and 1995.
Dr. Richard Strauss was a team doctor for various teams at OSU from 1979 to 1998. After he retired, multiple former students and employees came forward and said Dr. Strauss sexually abused them.
Overall, 177 male students brought allegations about Dr. Strauss, who took his own life in 2005. The students said that school officials did not protect them and that Dr. Strauss’ acts were widely known to coaches and school officials.
Some former wrestlers have said they were present when Mr. Jordan heard or responded to sexual misconduct accusations regarding Dr. Strauss. Multiple wrestlers have also come forward to defend Mr. Jordan and have said that they don’t believe he was aware of Dr. Strauss’ abuse.
Since the accusations surfaced, Mr. Jordan has vehemently denied knowing anything about Mr. Strauss’ acts.
Family Members
Bob Jordan is a Realtor for Henderson Land Investment Company, located next to Little Birds Café. He is Mr. Jim Jordan’s nephew and John Jordan’s brother.If an out-of-towner walks the streets of St. Paris and asks locals a word or two to describe Mr. Jim Jordan, they are quick to say “honest” and “hard working.”
“Those are the traits of most people around here. Jimmy is a reflection of where he came from,” Mr. Bob Jordan told The Epoch Times.
“Jimmy’s the most honest, moral guy now. And I watched him grow up. What a work ethic,” Mr. Bob Jordan added.
“You know, when he was wrestling in high school, he won his fourth straight state championship. Most kids would have celebrated. He got up next morning and ran six miles to start preparing for college wrestling,” Mr. Bob Jordan said.
Jeff Jordan, Mr. Jim Jordan’s brother, operates a nationally renowned wrestling camp in Urbana, the Champaign County seat.
St. Paris, and Champaign County as a whole, is “a Christian community with Christian values, a place where everyone knows everyone else and their families,” Mr. Bob Jordan said.
“People tell me, ‘When you see Jimmy, tell him this or that,’” Mr. Bob Jordan said with a grin. “People here believe in traditional American values and want to see the country return to that, and we believe that Jimmy could help that happen even more if he is speaker of the House.”
Mr. Bob Jordan told The Epoch Times a story that “best shows the character that Jimmy has.”
“We had a family get-together one day and all the kids were playing softball. Jimmy was at the plate and he hit one way out there. He’s coming around third, and he gets about 10 feet from home before he turns around, runs back, and touches second base,” Mr. Bob Jordan remembered.
“He knew he'd missed second base, so he went back, at a family softball game. That is the type of integrity he has. And he was just 12 or 13. How many kids that age would run back and touch that base?”
In November 1994, Mr. Jim Jordan was elected to the 85th Ohio House District and served three terms. He cultivated a reputation as a fiscal conservative who emphasized reducing taxes and opposing abortion and gay marriage. Mr. Jordan received the Pro-Life Legislator of the Year award from the United Conservatives of Ohio and the Defender of Life award from Ohio Right to Life.
He served two terms in the Ohio Senate before running in Ohio’s 4th Congressional District in 2006 after longtime incumbent Republican Mike Oxley announced his retirement. Mr. Jim Jordan won the first general election with 60 percent of the vote and has breezed to victory in subsequent campaigns.
President Donald Trump received 75.1 percent of Champaign County’s vote in the 2020 presidential election.
A staunch ally of President Trump, Mr. Jim Jordan has spearheaded investigations into prosecutors who have charged President Trump.
He supported objections to electoral college results when Congress met to certify Joe Biden’s presidential victory on Jan. 6, 2021.
High Profile Endorsement
President Trump endorsed Mr. Jim Jordan for the next House speaker, writing on Truth Social, “Congressman Jim Jordan has been a STAR long before making his very successful journey to Washington, D.C., representing Ohio’s 4th Congressional District. Respected by all, he is now Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. As President, I had the honor of presenting Jim with our Country’s highest civilian award, The Presidential Medal of Freedom. So much is learned from sports, and Jim was a master!” the former president wrote.He continued: “While attending Graham High School, [Mr. Jordan] won State Championships all four years, a rarity, and compiled an amazing 156–1 record. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Jim became a two-time NCAA Division l Wrestling Champion. He won his 1985-86 NCAA Championship Matches in his weight class. Jim has a master’s degree in Education from Ohio State University & a Law Degree from Capital University.
“He is STRONG on Crime, Borders, our Military/Vets, & 2nd Amendment. Jim, his wife, Polly, & family are outstanding - He will be a GREAT Speaker of the House, & has my Complete & Total Endorsement!”
A former school board member in suburban Dayton, Krista Cobb moved to the St. Paris area earlier this year to live a simpler life in a small, rural community where she could garden and raise chickens. She is a vocal supporter of President Trump and Mr. Jordan.
“I wanted [Mr. Jim Jordan] to become speaker when McCarthy did. It was widely known McCarthy wasn’t someone who believed in the MAGA platform, and he didn’t seem like someone who would keep his promises,” Ms. Cobb, 41, said.
“At a time when most Democrats are no longer moderate and are so far to the left that they do not respect the Constitution, we need a speaker who doesn’t compromise to issues that don’t represent conservative values,” Ms. Cobb added.
“Jim Jordan is tough and doesn’t flip flop. He needs to be the Republican version of Nancy Pelosi. McCarthy wasn’t willing to do that. I think that, especially in rural Ohio, we’re tired of Republicans that don’t reflect conservative values and don’t honor the Constitution.”
