President Donald Trump invites Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH-4) on stage to speak at a 2018 campaign rally in Ohio. Credit: Joshua Gunter cleveland.com/TNS
U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH-04), will not run for Senate in 2022 to replace outgoing Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman, according to a press release from Jordan’s office.
Jordan plans to run for reelection in his district, which covers areas north and west of Columbus, according to the release. Jordan is “solely focused on representing the great people of Ohio’s Fourth District,” the release states.
Portman announced he would not seek reelection at a Monday press conference, citing “partisan gridlock” and the growing incivility in politics as factors in his decision.
Jordan was one of former President Donald Trump’s staunchest allies in the House, voting twice against impeachment. He also serves as the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee, which conducted the inquiry leading up to Trump’s 2019 impeachment.
In 2015, Jordan established the House Freedom Caucus, which advocates for the advancement of conservative causes in the House of Representatives.
Jordan was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Trump Jan. 11. According to the White House, Jordan was awarded for his efforts in reversing Obama administration policies and initiatives and for advocating against “cancel culture.”
Jordan served as an assistant coach for the Ohio State men’s wrestling team from 1987-95, during the time former Ohio State physician Richard Strauss sexually abused student-athletes. He is named in a November 2019 lawsuit against Ohio State, alleging Jordan knew of Strauss’ sexual abuse after multiple wrestlers and a referee came to Jordan and head coach Russ Hellickson detailing the abuse. Jordan has repeatedly denied these allegations.
Strauss was a team doctor for 17 men’s varsity sports and physician at the Student Wellness Center at Ohio State from 1978-98, during which time he abused at least 177 students and student-athletes, according to a report released in May following an investigation conducted by Perkins Coie, LLP. The investigation also found that Ohio State failed to act on Strauss’ abuse at the time. Ohio State’s latest count, according to a university press release, includes nearly 1,500 instances of Strauss-related abuse.
Strauss died by suicide in 2005.
“[Jordan’s] been adamant that nothing’s ever happened and no one ever came to him,” Mike Schyck, a former Ohio State wrestler and a graduate student coach, said.
Adam DiSabato, brother of Mike DiSabato, who first went public with Strauss’ abuse, testified at a public hearing in February 2020 on House Bill 249 which would have waived the statute of limitations for Strauss victims to take legal action against the university. During his testimony, Adam DiSabato said he went to Jordan and Hellickson as a team captain and begged them to do something about his teammates’ complaints of abuse against Strauss.
“I went to them as a captain, begging them to do something,” Adam DiSabato said at the hearing. “They did not. They told me they went to their superiors. Their superiors told them to be happy where we’re at, to keep our mouths shut.”
