{"text":[[{"start":7.38,"text":"Republicans have tapped Jim Jordan, a pugnacious member of the lower chamber of US Congress from Ohio, to be their next leader after suffering widespread defeats in last week’s midterm elections."}],[{"start":19.16,"text":"Jordan, 62, will replace Mike Johnson, the Republican Speaker of the House from Louisiana, who decided not to seek another term as party leader in the House after the poor performance in the midterms."}],[{"start":31.08,"text":"Jordan, who serves as chair of the House judiciary committee and has been a loyal ally of Donald Trump on Capitol Hill, edged out Steve Scalise, a Congress member from Louisiana who was also in the running for the job."}],[{"start":43.8,"text":"Jordan’s elevation to Republican House minority leader comes as the party’s ranks in the lower chamber of Congress are set to dramatically shrink next year, after the party lost dozens of seats, including in staunchly conservative areas of the country."}],[{"start":59.04,"text":"Jordan is known for his combative approach to politics, including stints in the Tea Party movement that antagonised former president Barack Obama, as well as the House Freedom Caucus, a group of rightwing hardliners that has caused trouble for Republican leaders in Congress for the past decade."}],[{"start":75.06,"text":"His elevation suggests compromise with the ascendant Democratic House majority could be hard to achieve, particularly with what is likely to be a difficult relationship between Democrats and the White House after the president appointed immigration hardliner Stephen Miller to be his chief of staff."}],[{"start":91.44,"text":"Separately, Senate Republicans have re-elected John Thune to be their leader in the upper chamber after some lawmakers urged colleagues to challenge the South Dakotan. Thune on Tuesday nodded to the frank discussions within his caucus."}],[{"start":104.26,"text":"He said: “I appreciated the opportunity to have an open, honest and transparent conversation with my colleagues today, and I am honoured to have their continued trust and support to lead the Senate Republican Conference in the 120th Congress.”"}],[{"start":122.74,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1794354838_6128.mp3"}