Devin M. Bilski

THE JIM JORDAN I KNEW — AND THE QUESTION REPUBLICANS MUST NOW ANSWER Some people will not like this post. I completely understand that. But I'm speaking from personal experience, and I believe these are questions Republicans need to confront. When I was first elected to Congress, I got to know Jim Jordan. Jim was a firebrand. He was a man of strong convictions who rarely, if ever, compromised his principles. He opposed increasing the national debt, raising the debt ceiling, and expanding government spending. He was willing to challenge his own party's leadership and take positions that were politically unpopular. I didn't always agree with Jim. In fact, we disagreed on a number of issues. But I respected him because I believed he was doing what he thought was right for our children and grandchildren. I'll never forget a conversation we had. I asked him, "Jim, suppose you were driving my race car. You were guaranteed to finish second. But if you pushed the car harder, you had a 10% chance of winning and a 90% chance of blowing the engine, finishing last, and costing me millions of dollars. What would you do?" Jim smiled and said, "I'd blow up the engine." That was the Jim Jordan I knew. You might disagree with him, but you knew where he stood. He wasn't interested in second place, compromise, or political convenience. He was willing to risk everything for what he believed. But something changed. Jim was not originally one of Donald Trump's strongest supporters. Over time, particularly after Trump entered the White House in 2017, Jim became one of his most loyal defenders. For nearly a decade, he has been one of Trump's most visible advocates on television, radio, and in public appearances. And in my view, that loyalty has increasingly influenced his approach to governing. The man who once fought relentlessly against spending, debt, and government expansion has become far more willing to defend policies coming from a Republican White House. He has defended Trump's tariffs, supported his administration's approach to the war in Iran, and stood behind much of the president's agenda. I believe the Jim Jordan I first met in Congress would have challenged some of those decisions, regardless of which party controlled the White House. Today, I see a different Jim Jordan. Now, Jim represents one of the safest Republican congressional districts in Ohio. That gives him political protection that many other Republican members simply do not have. Members in competitive districts don't have that luxury. They must answer to Republicans, independents, and even some Democrats to survive. AND THAT BRINGS US TO TUESDAY'S ELECTION. Republicans suffered devastating losses across the country. Voters sent a message that should be impossible to ignore. The war in Iran, tariffs, rising costs, and dissatisfaction with the direction of the country all contributed to an election that Republicans should be examining very carefully. Yet, instead of asking whether our policies and messaging need to change, some seem determined to continue defending the very agenda that contributed to those losses. And now Jim Jordan is running to become the next leader of House Republicans. I understand why many Republicans support him. He is articulate, aggressive, hardworking, and an effective political fighter. Those are qualities that have served him well. But the question isn't whether Jim Jordan can fight. THE QUESTION IS WHETHER HE CAN LEAD REPUBLICANS IN A NEW DIRECTION. Can someone who has spent years defending the Trump agenda objectively evaluate where that agenda failed? Can someone who has become so closely identified with one president bring back the independent voters and disillusioned Republicans the party desperately needs? And perhaps most importantly: SHOULD THE PEOPLE WHO DEFENDED THE POLICIES VOTERS JUST REJECTED BE THE SAME PEOPLE ENTRUSTED WITH REBUILDING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY? I still respect Jim Jordan. I respect his years of public service, his work ethic, and the convictions that originally brought him to Congress. But respect doesn't mean we should avoid asking difficult questions. Republicans cannot rebuild by pretending Tuesday never happened. We cannot continue defending the same policies, making the same decisions, and expecting different results. We need leaders willing to challenge bad policies, even when those policies come from a Republican president. We need leaders who put principles ahead of personalities and the future of the Republican Party ahead of loyalty to any one individual. SO HERE IS MY QUESTION: CAN JIM JORDAN — OR ANYONE ELSE WHO SPENT YEARS DEFENDING THE AGENDA VOTERS REJECTED ON TUESDAY — REALLY BE THE LIGHT THAT LEADS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OUT OF THE DARKNESS? That's not a statement. It's a question. And it's one Republicans need to answer before choosing their next leaders.